Tomato Rice

Tomato Rice is one of the spicy variety in Rice, which has a tangy taste. Since the main ingredient are tomatoes, it has a strong tomato flavour. Its easy to prepare because of the ingredients' availability. The rice can be combined with any gravy or sauce too. It tastes good with plain yogurt and some crispies.  




Ingredients: 

1. Raw Basmati Rice - 1 cup
2. Ripe Tomatoes - 2 nos.
3. Water - 3/4th cup
4. Onion - 1 nos.
5. Green Chillies - 2 nos.
6. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp.
7. Fresh coriander leaves - one cup
8. Fresh mint leaves - 1 cup
9. Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf - 1 each
10. Red Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp.
11. Oil - 2 tbsp.
12. Ghee - 1tsp.
13. Salt to Taste
   
Cooking Method:

1. Clean the rice and keep aside.

2. Heat oil and ghee in the cooking pot. Add green chillies, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and give it a stir.

3. Add ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw flavour goes and make sure you do not burn the food. Keep stirring.

4. Add onions and after three minutes add tomatoes. Later add 1/2 cup each of fresh mint and coriander leaves.

5. Cook well until all the tomatoes are mashed in the gravy and add chilly powder. Keep the flame low here and add warm water and salt, and keep it covered. 

6. Let the water starts boiling and get all the flavours in the water, you can add rice. Keep it covered occasionally stirring.

7. Once the Rice is getting dry before itself turn off the flame. Add remaining mint leaves and coriander leaves and keep it covered. Keep hot water vessel top of it. This is because we have added less water and the rice will get cooked keeping hot water top of it.

* Stir it very softly so that the rice does not break, while cooking.

* Tinned tomatoes or tomato puree can be added, but the taste differs comparing to fresh tomatoes.