Tomato Rice / Thakkali Sadam

Tomato Rice / Thakkali Sadam

Ingredients (Serves 2 – 3)

1. Cooked basmati rice /long grain rice / jeeraga samba rice / ponni raw rice – 2.5 – 3 cups, cooled (Add salt while cooking rice)

2. Tomatoes (ripe) – 2 medium-large, chopped

3. Oil (sesame oil/ nallenna)/ ghee – 1.5 tbsp

4. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds / jeera – 1/4 – 1/2 tsp

Dried red chilly – 1, broken

Urad dal / chana dal – 3/4 tsp

Cashew nuts – 2 – 3 tbsp, broken

Fenugreek seeds – 1 pinch (optional)

5. Curry leaves – A few

Onion – 1/3 cup, finely chopped

Green chilies – 2 – 3, diagonally sliced

Garlic – 3 small, chopped

Ginger – 1/2 tsp, minced

6. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp

7. Sugar – 1 pinch (optional)

Garam masala powder – 1/4 tsp or to taste (You can use sambar powder instead)

8. Ghee –1 tsp

9. Cilantro / coriander leaves – 1/4 cup, chopped

10. Salt – To taste

Method

1. Heat oil / ghee in a pan at medium heat. Splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fry dried red chilly, urad dal, cashews and fenugreek seeds. Saute until cashews turn golden. Add curry leaves, onion and little salt. Saute until onion turns translucent. Add green chilies, garlic and ginger. Saute for a minute. Add turmeric powder and chilly powder. Stir for 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes, salt and cook for 6 – 8 minutes until tomato turns mushy and oil starts separating. Add a pinch of sugar and garam masala powder. Stir for a few seconds.

2. Add cooked rice and mix well. Cook covered for 1 minute at very low heat. Switch off. Add a tsp of ghee and mix well. Sprinkle chopped cilantro. Set aside for 10 – 15 minutes. Serve warm with onion raita / pappad / fryums potato/ bhindi fry etc.