Meals · Tamil Nadu

One-Pot Tomato Rice

Tamil Nadu's thakkali sadam: rice cooked in one pot with a tangy, spiced tomato masala. Lunchbox food that's good warm or cold.

Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min · Total 30 min · Serves 2

Ingredients

Tadka

• 2 tbsp Oil
• ½ tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 1 pinch Asafoetida

Rice

• ¾ cup Rice (sona masoori or basmati)
• 1 Onion, thinly sliced
• 3 Ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 2 Green chillies, slit
• 1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp Sambar powder
• ¼ tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped

Method

1. Temper. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker or heavy pot. Add the mustard seeds and when they pop, the curry leaves and asafoetida.
2. Cook the masala. Add the onion and chillies and fry until soft. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste for a minute, then the tomatoes, sambar powder, turmeric and salt. Cook until the tomatoes turn to a jammy paste.
3. Cook the rice. Stir in the rice and 1 1/2 cups water. Pressure-cook for 2 whistles and let the pressure drop on its own, or cover the pot and simmer on low for 15 minutes until the water is absorbed.
4. Fluff and serve. Fluff with a fork and fold in the coriander. Eat with crisps, papad or a boiled egg. Keeps 2 days in the fridge; sprinkle with water before reheating.

Tips

Don't rush the tomatoes. The rice only tastes as good as the masala, so cook it until no raw tomato smell is left and oil shows at the edges.