Looking for a Tomato Rice recipe you can make in pressure cooker or instant pot? Learn how to make Tomato Rice with us!

This tomato rice recipe is a must-try for everyone who loves delicious, flavourful and tangy one-pot meals. The combination of tomato with rice is straight from the heavens and you can easily make it at home. A popular South Indian rice recipe, tomato rice can be made easily with leftover rice, tomatoes and a bunch of spices. You can easily whip up this tomato rice recipe in a pressure cooker or an instant pot. You can experiment with the flavours and ingredients of the dish to end up with your own version of tomato rice. On the days when you have no plans to make an elaborate meal, try this tomato rice recipe. It also goes well with onion raita and boondi raita. You can pair this scrumptious rice recipe with papad or even chips. Traditionally, this dish can be served with coconut chutney, sambhar or any spicy fish curry. It’s one of the popular recipes that you can prepare for your loved ones during Pongal. If you have sudden guests dropping by, who are fond of South Indian food, then this main dish recipe is the perfect go-to. To make it more delicious, you can also add ingredients as per your taste. If you are fond of spices, you can dry roast the whole spices and grind them to perfection and then add the powder to enhance the taste of this dish. If you love the fusion of spicy and slightly tangy flavours, then this is the perfect dish to indulge in! If you are health conscious and want to avoid bad cholesterol, then also you can tweak the recipe by replacing the regular refined oil with olive oil. This will make this recipe a much healthier option to relish! The best thing about this delicacy is that you can add your twist of flavours to this conventional South Indian recipe.

Ingredients of Tomato Rice

  • 1/3 cup basmati rice
  • 2/3 medium onion
  • 2/3 teaspoon sambhar powder
  • 1/4 handful coriander leaves
  • 2/3 tablespoon refined oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic paste
  • 1 and 1/4 large tomato
  • 1 medium green chilli
  • turmeric as required
  • salt As required
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger paste
  • 1 pinches red chilli powder

How to make Tomato Rice

Step 1 Boil and soak the rice

Wash and drain the basmati rice and soak for about 20 minutes. Take a deep pan, put it on medium flame and pour water into it. Bring it to a boil, and then add the soaked rice. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on medium flame till the rice becomes soft, but not mushy. Now remove from fire and keep it aside.

Step 2 Prepare tomato puree and saute onion and spices

Now put the chopped tomatoes in a blender and blend them properly. Transfer the puree to a bowl and keep it aside. Now heat 2 tbsps of oil in a pan and add the ingredients for seasoning (mustard, asafoetida, curry leaves, dried red chillies). Add onions and saute till they turn slightly pinkish in hue. Then add green chillies and ginger-garlic paste. Saute these ingredients for a minute.

Step 3 Add tomato puree to the sauteed onions and cook, add rice

Now, add the tomato puree, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sambar powder and salt as required. Cook until the oil separates. Add the cooked rice to the tomato gravy and mix well. Once done, transfer the tomato rice to a serving bowl and garnish it with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with papads, potato chips or raita.

Step 4 Tips for making delicious Tomato Rice

1. This dish is generally spicy in flavour. To make it less spicy, add less ginger and chillies. 2. Tomato rice tastes best when served with a well seasoned Boondi Raita. 3. Stirring the rice in the tomato mix before adding the water enhances the taste of the dish