Tomato Rice: Lunchbox Recipe

Tomato rice – this vividly colored one-pot meal is just right for boxing up and carrying to school or office. Plan ahead for rushed mornings: boil some extra rice at dinnertime, stash it away in the fridge overnight and, when it’s time to pack your lunch the next morning, put together tomato rice.

This takes a while longer to cook than, say, coconut rice, but the good part is it does not need attentive watching.  You can let the tomatoes stew slowly while you go about getting ready.

You Need:

[for 1-2 servings]

• Boiled rice* – 2 cups   
• Tomatoes – 2
• Red chili powder – 1/4 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder – a pinch
• Curry leaves – a few (optional)
• Green chili – 1
• Onion – 1 small
• Garlic – 4 small cloves
• Ginger – 1/2 inch piece
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Oil/ghee – 1 tablespoon
• Coriander leaves – for garnishing

*I have used basmati rice here; any other variety of rice will also do.

How To Make Tomato Rice:

1. Chop the veggies

Peel and chop ginger, garlic and onions finely.

Slit green chilies. Chop tomatoes.

2. Cook

Heat a tablespoon of oil or ghee in a pan.

When the oil is hot, set the heat to low add to it half a teaspoon of mustard seeds and let them splutter.

Follow with finely chopped ginger and garlic.

When the garlic turns slightly golden, add chopped onions.

Fry the onions on medium heat till they turn translucent.

At this stage, add the dry spice powders: turmeric powder, red chili powder.

Stir immediately to blend. Cook for a minute.

Transfer the chopped tomatoes, sliced green chili and curry leaves (if using) to the pan.

Add salt to taste. Mix well.

Set the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid. Let the tomatoes stew in their own juices and soften.

This will take about ten minutes. Uncover the lid and stir once or twice in between, pressing the tomatoes gently. Make sure there is no charring – scrape the bottom of the pan if you see tomatoes sticking there and browning.

When the tomato base is well cooked, transfer the boiled rice to the pan.

Tip: Use cool rice for making tomato rice – this helps to keep the rice grains separate. Hot rice can easily turn to mush!

Stir gently, letting the cooked tomato base coat each grain of rice.

Cover and cook for another minute. Switch off the heat and let the rice rest covered for five minutes.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Tomato rice is ready.

Serve tomato rice its own, or along with accompaniments like raita and bhujiya.

Meal below: tomato rice, stuffed baby eggplant in peanut sesame sauce, cabbage coconut stir fry, plain homemade yogurt.

Notes:

Check out The Steaming Pot’s one-pot meal gallery.

Want more recipes with tomatoes as a prime ingredient? Try pasta in homemade tomato sauce, tomato carrot soup, stuffed tomato curry.