Tomato Bath (Karnataka Style)
The Tomato bath is a flavorful and zesty rice dish hailing from Karnataka's cuisine. It incorporates a blend of tomatoes, coconut, spices, and herbs into a ground paste. This infusion of masala enhances the rice, resulting in a delectable and aromatic delight.
Ingredients
For Making Tomato+Coconut Masala Paste
- 2 cups tomatoes – roughly chopped or 4 medium-sized tomatoes or 300 grams
- 5 to 6 medium sized garlic cloves – roughly chopped or 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1 inch ginger – roughly chopped or 2 teaspoons chopped ginger
- 2 to 3 green chilies – roughly chopped or 2.5 to 3 teaspoons chopped green chilies
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds or ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 3 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon
- ¼ cup fresh coconut or desiccated coconut
For Soaking Rice
- 1 cup rice
- water as required – for soaking rice
Other Ingredients For Tomato Bath
- 2 tablespoons ghee or oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium sized tej patta or 2 small tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- 1 medium sized onion, thinly sliced or ½ cup sliced onion
- 1 small to medium capsicum, sliced – optional
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- salt add as required
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup water or add as required
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (cilantro) for garnishing
- fresh coconut for garnishing – optional
Instructions
Soaking Rice
- Rinse rice very well in water a couple of times. Then soak rice in enough water for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes drain all the water and keep the rice aside. You can use sona masuri rice, basmati rice or any short grained or medium-grained variety of rice.
Making Masala Paste For Tomato Bath
- Rinse and roughly chop the tomatoes and add them in a grinder jar or blender. You will need 2 cups roughly chopped tomatoes.
- Add ginger, garlic, green chilies, cumin seeds, cloves and cinnamon.
- Next add grated coconut or desiccated coconut.
- Without adding any water grind everything to a fine smooth paste. The juices from the tomato will help in grinding the paste. So no need to add water while grinding or blending.
- Now measure the tomato coconut masala paste in a measuring cup. Depending on the water content in the tomatoes, the quantity may vary.
- You need to use the proportion of 1:2 for white rice and the masala paste+water respectively. If using 1 cup of white rice, you will actually need 2 cups of the masala paste.
- I got 1.5 cups of tomato coconut masala paste – so added ½ cup water later in the pan.
- – for 1.5 cups of tomato paste, add 0.5 cups water.– for 1.25 cups, add 0.75 cups water.– for 1 cup of tomato paste, add 1 cup water.
Making Tomato Bath
- In a heavy thick bottomed pan or pot heat ghee or oil.
- Keep the heat to a low and add tej patta and cumin seeds. Stir well. Let the cumin seeds crackle.
- Then add onion and stirring often sauté the onions till they become golden
- Sauté onions on a medium-low to medium flame. If using capsicum, then you can add after the onions have become golden and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Then add the soaked rice. Sprinkle turmeric powder and red chili powder. Mix everything.
- Now add the measured tomato coconut masala paste. Stir and gently mix everything.
- Add water as required and depending on the quantity of masala paste. I added ½ cup water first and later added ½ cup water more as I was using hand pounded sona masuri rice which takes more water to cook.
- Season with salt as per taste. Also add sugar.
- Mix well. Check the taste of the broth and it should be slightly salty.
Cooking Tomato Bath
- Cover the pan with its lid and simmer on a low heat.
- Simmer tomato bath till the rice grains are cooked and fluffy. Do check at intervals and if the rice starts sticking to the pan or water dries up or rice mixture looks dry or rice grains are undercooked, then you can add some more hot water.
- Once the rice grains are completely cooked and all the water is absorbed, then switch off the heat. Fluff the tomato bath with a fork.
- Serve tomato bath as is or with any sides like raita, pickle or salad of your choice. While serving garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and some grated coconut (optional)
Nutrition
Calories: 239kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 3gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 100mgPotassium: 606mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gCalcium: 47mgIron: 1.9mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!