Tomato Rice - Ideal to pack for your lunch box!

When we were kids, my mother used to slice the tomatoes and put sugar and give us to eat.  She used to make sauce at home.  We can make so many dishes with this sweet, juicy, and delicious vegetable.

Recently, Ria (my daughter's) friend's mother, Vani & I decided to have a pot luck lunch at my house.  Vani made Shahi Pulao and I decided to make Tomato Rice, Besanwali Bhindi & Ginger Curry (Puli Inji)... Wonderful combination and we all had an amazing lunch that afternoon!

This is very healthy yet delicious rice recipe with tangy flavor of tomatoes.  Tomato Rice is not only delicious and flavorful; but it is also very easy to make.  I like to pack this spicy and tangy rice preparation for my lunch box.

When at home, I like to enjoy it hot with papads and yoghurt (curd) & lime pickle.

Let us see what ingredients we require to make Tomato Rice.

Ingredients :

Large Ripe tomatoes - 2

Garlic cloves 4 to 5

Green Chillies - 2

Rice - 1 cup

Ghee - 2 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Cloves - 2

Shaha Jeera (Black Cumin Seeds) - 1/2 tsp

Bay leaf (Tejpata) -1

Green Cardamom - 2

Cinnamon - 2 small pieces

Finely cut onion - 1/4th cup

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt and Sugar to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/4th tsp

Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

Pudina (Mint) leaves - 1 tbsp

Freshly grated Coconut - 1/4th cup

Water - 2 cups

Method :

In a mixer grind tomatoes, green chillies, garlic with 2 cups of water and strain it and keep it aside.  Wash the rice and keep aside.  In a kadai, add oil and ghee together.  To this add Shaha Jeera 1/2 tsp, Cloves - 2, Bay leaf (Tejpata) -1, Green Cardamom - 2 and Cinnamon - 2 small pieces and saute this.  Now add the cut onion and saute till it is brown in colour.  Add the rice, turmeric & chilli powder and saute for some time.  Now add the strained tomato mixtgure, salt and sugar and cook well.  Garnish with Corriander Leaves , Mint leaves & fresh grated coconut.