Another item using tomato, which one cannot resist trying when tomatoes are cheap in the market. This rice also I am sure all south Indians would have tasted. There are different ways of preparing this rice. Here I will give the traditional chettinad recipe of preparing tomato rice. This is an easy and quick rice item that I will prepare when I have to pack lunch in a very short time.
Ingredients
Rice-1 cup
Tomatoes Ripe -4 to 5(medium size)
Big onion-1
Green chillies-2
Mint leaves-little
Coriander leaves-little
Chili powder-1 teaspoon

To smash
Ginger-a small piece
Garlic-3 pods
Fennel seeds-1 teaspoon
(If you don’t have the stone to smash, it can be smashed by putting it in the small mixie and rotating the mixie switch on the reverse once or twice)

To season
Cinnamon-2 pieces
Clove-2
Fennel seeds-1 teaspoon
Mint leaves-little
Curry leaf-little
Rice
Cook the rice in such a way that it does not stick together. Use one cup less water while cooking than you usually use. Pour 1 teaspoon oil while cooking the rice. After cooking the rice transfer it into a flat vessel and let it cool for sometime

Procedure
Put the kadai in the stove. Pour 2 to 3 table spoons of oil (ghee can also be mixed).Season with the items mentioned in ‘to season’. Then add the nicely minced onions, and tomatoes and sauté well. Sauté the smashed items also. With the help of a spoon smash the tomatoes nicely so that it will get cooked faster. Add little turmeric powder, the chili powder and salt need. You can put little extra salt as salt is required for the quantity of rice used also. Do not pour water. Let the items get cooked in the tomato juice itself. If you feel the tomatoes you are using don’t have much juice, add little water. Switch off the stove when you feel the onions are well cooked and there is not much water content in the gravy.



Mix the gravy little by little with the rice and check for the taste. If you feel the entire quantity is needed add it otherwise add the required quantity and refrigerate the remaining gravy which can be used later.