Tomato Rice | Onion Tomato Pulao
Tomato Rice or Onion Tomato Pulao is a flavorful and comforting rice dish made by sautéing onions, tomatoes, and aromatic spices, then mixing them with cooked rice. This quick and easy one-pot meal is mildly spiced, tangy, and perfect for lunchboxes, weeknight dinners, or as a side dish. Often served with raita, pickle, or papad, it reflects the simple yet vibrant essence of South Indian cuisine.
Ingredients
For Tomato Rice
- Coconut Oil/ Oil (नारियल का तेल/तेल) – 2 tbsp
- Hing (हींग) – 1 tsp
- Red Whole Chilli (साबुत लाल मिर्च) – 3 to 4 pcs
- Cinnamon (दालचीनी) – 1 pc
- Laung (लौंग) – 3 to 4 pcs
- Tej Pata (तेज पता) – 1 pc
- Elaichi (इलाइची) – 4 pcs
- Mustard Seeds (राय) – 1 tbsp
- Jeera (जीरा) – 2 tsp
- Chana Dal (चना दाल) – 1 tbsp
- Urad Dal (उरद दाल) – 1 tsp
- Garlic (लहसुन) – 1 tbsp
- Ginger (अदरक) – 1 tbsp
- Green Chilli (हरी मिर्च), Chopped – 1 tsp
- Cashew nuts (काजू) – 1 tbsp
- Curry leaf (करी पत्ता) – 1 sprig
- Onion (प्याज़), Chopped – 1 cup
- Tomato (टमाटर), Chopped – 2 ½ cups
- Salt (नमक) – to taste
- Turmeric (हल्दी) – ½ tsp
- Red Chilli Powder (लाल मिर्च पाउडर) – 1 tbsp
- Coriander Powder (धनिया पाउडर) – 1 tbsp
- Water (पानी) – 1½ cup
- Rice (चावल), Soaked – 1 cup
- Mint Leaves (पुदीना) – a handful
- Coriander stems (धनिया के तने) – 1 tbsp
For tadka raita
- Curd (दही) – ½ cup
- Salt (नमक) – to taste
- Black Pepper (काली मिर्च) – a pinch
- Onion(प्याज़), Chopped – ¼ cup
For tempering of raita
- Oil (तेल) – 1 tsp
- Mustard Seeds (राय) – 1 tsp
- Ginger (अदरक) , Chopped – 1 tsp
- Green Chilli (हरी मिर्च), Chopped – ½ tsp
- Curry Leaves (करी पत्ता) – a handful
Instructions
- In a pan, heat some coconut oil/oil. To this add Hing followed by dried red chillies, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, and cardamom, roast the spices together for a few seconds. Now add mustard seeds, cumin, chana dal and urad dal. Cook the dal on a low flame till it turns golden brown, after that add ginger, garlic, green chillies, cashews and a sprig of curry leaves. On a low flame add onions and cook them for a few minutes, but don’t brown them. Cook for about 2 minutes and then on a high flame add the tomatoes. Now add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and cook this well.
- Once the tomatoes are mashy, increase the flame and add the water. Adjust the seasoning and add soaked rice. Now put mint and coriander leave and give it a very gentle stir. Once the rice is well mixed, cover the pan with a lid and decrease the flame and cook for about 10 min. After 10 min, turn off the flame and leave the pan with the lid on for another 10 min.
- Till the rice cooks, take some curd in a bowl. To that add, salt, pepper, and some chopped onion, keep this aside. In a small pan, heat some oil, add mustard seeds, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves and pour this mixture over the curd. Check on the rice, once it is cooked, the rice is ready to be served with the raita.
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