Tomato Rice

Tomato rice is as simple as it sounds. Rice is mixed with spiced and reduced tomatoes. Although this is a simple dish, my mom makes one of the best kinds of tomato rice! Anyone that tastes her tomato rice falls in love with the dish. It is not complicated, not fancy, yet delicious. 

It's been several years since I had her tomato rice. It was wonderful to feast on this simple dish and reminisce on those long-gone childhood weekends when she used to make this rice.

This tomato paste is also a great tomato thokku!

 
Ingredients (serves 6):

1. 7 tomatoes
2. 1 medium red onion, chopped
3. 2 green chillies
4. 2.5 tablespoons vegetable oil
5. 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
6. 1/2 teaspoon hing / asafoetida
7. 2 teaspoons bengal gram / kadala paruppu
8. 1 tablespoon peanuts or cashews
9. few sprigs of curry leaves
10. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
11. 1 teaspoon garam masala 
12. 1 tablespoon sesame oil
13. 1 teaspoon ghee / clarified butter
14. a few coriander leaves / cilantro, finely chopped
15. 2.5 cups basmati rice, uncooked (adjust the quantity of rice depending on the volume of tomato paste that you get)
16. salt as needed

 Preparation:

1. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for about 4 minutes. Remove from the water and rinse under cold water (or immerse in a bowl of ice water).  Remove the tomato peels and roughly chop the tomatoes and grind to a smooth puree
2. Grind onion and chillies to a paste. 
3. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed pan. When hot, splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, hing, bengal gram, and peanuts/cashews and stir fry until the nuts begin to brown. 
4. Add the onion paste and fry for 10 minutes (on medium heat) until the onion doesn't smell raw and it begins to change color. 
5. Add turmeric powder and garam masala and fry for 30 seconds.
6. Add tomato puree and fry/cook well along with salt until the mixture thickens and the oil separates from the tomato. This is the most important step. Very important to reduce and cook down the tomato. 
7. When the tomato has thickened, add sesame oil and ghee and mix well. Remove from heat
8. Mix in some cilantro leaves
9. Cook rice ahead of time and let it cool. Soak basmati rice in water for 15-20 minutes. Then, drain and cook with 3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt until done. Fluff with a work and let it cool
10. Slowly mix the tomato paste with the cooked and cooled rice and let it rest for 30 minutes before serving. 

Serve with fried papad, vadams, and chips for a really delicious, tangy, finger-licking meal!

The prepared tomato paste can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.  So, use as much or as little rice as needed to mix in the paste during each meal.