Madras Tomato Rice: 20-Min Recipe

Check out Joseph Isa's simple recipe for fragrant, tasty, Tomato Rice.

Ingredients

• ½ kg tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 3-4 pods garlic, finely sliced
• 3 large onions, sliced
• 2-3 green chillies, sliced lengthwise
• 1 sprig curry leaves

Ingredients, continued

• 200 gm (or a little more than 1 cup) raw white rice, cooked
• 1-inch piece ginger, finely chopped
• Salt to taste, about 1½ tsp
• ½ tsp or more red chilly powder
• 1 tsp garam masala

Ingredients, continued

• ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• Pinch hing or asafoetida
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp rai or mustard seeds
• 1 tsp channa dal
• 1 sprig fresh green dhania or coriander leaves or cilantro, optional

Method

• Heat the oil, over medium heat, in a large saucepan or a kadhai and add the mustard seeds.
  When the seeds begin to splutter add the chana dal, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, asafoetida.
  Fry a minute or 2 and add the onions.
  Fry the onions well, but don't brown them.
  Then add the salt, turmeric powder and stir.

Method, continued

• Next add the garam masala, red chilly powder and keep stirring till well blended.
  Now add the tomatoes and stir until the tomatoes are blended well and cooked.
• The tomatoes will begin to sweat, leaving water at the bottom of the pan.
  Taste that water and adjust seasoning or ingredients accordingly.

Method, continued

• Lower the heat and add in the cooked rice and toss lightly.
  The quality of your final dish of Tomato Rice depends on whether the rice is fluffy, flowery and not mashed up.
  So, when you mix the rice in, don't overdo the mixing and try not to break the grains rice but keep them whole.
• Add the coriander leaves, if preferred, before serving and serve hot with a tomato-onion raita. Serves 4.

Tips
You may consider using Basmati rice if that's your preference or any other grain.
While frying the onions, add a handful of peanuts.
A dash of sugar might round out the flavours.