How To Make Tomato Rice?

 This easy, quick and delicious Tomato Rice recipe is a favorite dish from the Tamil Nadu state of South India. Also known as Thakkali Sadam in Tamil language, this one pot wonder is tasty, healthy and perfect to pack in a tiffin for lunch on the go. While this tomato rice is a tad spicy, you can easily adjust the heat to your liking. Serve it plain, or with crispy papad and boondi raita. It makes a wonderfully filling and light lunch!

How To Make Tomato Rice? 

1) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them splutter.

tempering mustard seeds in the oil

2) Then add chopped onions, green chilies, and curry leaves. Sprinkle some salt to speed up the process.

adding onions, curry leaves, green chilies into the oil

3) Cook till onion becomes light brown and soft.

light brown cooked onions

4) Add pureed tomato and remaining salt. Mix well.

Adding tomato puree to the onion mixture

5) Cook till all the moisture from tomato evaporates and becomes a thick paste.

pureed tomatoes are cooked for tomato rice recipe

6) Add prepared spice powder.

adding freshly ground masala to the tomato mixture

7) Mix well and cook for few seconds.

freshly ground masala mixed with cooked tomatoes

8) Add cooked rice.

adding cooked rice to the tomato mixture

9) Mix gently till incorporated well and cook till the rice gets heated through.

Tomato Rice in a plate

Serving Ideas:

Serve tomato rice plain or with yogurt or raita (boondi raita, tadka raita). For some crunch, have some papadum or chips on the side.

This is the perfect rice dish to pack into an adult’s or kids’ lunchbox. Also, pack yogurt or raita in a separate container to go with it. If making for kids then adjust or skip the chilies.