Spicy Tomato Rice

Tomatoes come with fully packed minerals, antioxidants and high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium and Potassium. Tomatoes are one of my favorites and just can't imagine my pantry without these luscious and gorgeous red beauties. Made with loads of tomato and spices, green chilies & gram masala, this rice preparation is utterly delicious. This tangy Tomato Rice makes a great one-dish meal. Eat it as is, of course, with Thayir pachadi/Raita and poppadoms. 

Ingredients:

Basmati rice                                  - 2 cups

Water                                            -2 ¼ cups

Cherry Tomatoes                           – ½ cup

Ginger Paste                                   1 tsp.

Thai Green Chilies                           – 4 no

Organic Tomato Sauce                   – ½ tin

Chopped coriander leaves              – ½ cup

Chopped Mint leaves                    – 3 tbsp.

Ghee                                        – 1 tbsp.

Salt                                          – to taste

Masalas:

Cinnamon sticks                         – 1no

Cardamoms                               – 2nos

Cloves                                       – 3 nos

 Kashmiri Red chili powder          – 1 tsp.

Turmeric Powder                      – 1/2 tsp.

Seasonings:

Ghee                                     – 1 tbsp.

Raisins                                  – 1 tbsp.

Cashew nuts                          – 1tsp

Peanuts                               – 1 tbsp. (optional)

Decoration

Chopped Cilantro                   - 1 tsp.

Chopped Mint                     – 1 tsp. (optional)

Almonds                              -8 nos

Cherry tomatoes                     – 3 no

Preparation: 

• Wash and soak the rice for 35 minutes. Drain it.
• Grind cilantro, mint and 2 chilies together. Set aside.
• Heat the ghee in a wok, add chopped, tomatoes, green chilies and ginger paste. Sauté for 3 minutes.
• Now add red chili powder, turmeric powder. Lower the stove heat and fry for 3 minutes.
• Then add the Pudina cilantro paste and saute well for few more minutes.
• Now add tomato sauce in it and heat for5 to 8 minutes. Keep aside this masala.
• Heat the ghee in wok adds the whole spices when it splutters, add the rice and fry well. Now add the tomato masala in it and mix it well.
• Put this rice masala in the rice cooker vessel; add hot water, and salt. Cook it.
• Heat the ghee in a pan and fry the all seasonings and keep aside.
• When rice is cooked add the fried seasonings. Mix with fork, so that the rice retains its shape and does not get smashed.
• Transfer the rice to the plate and decorate with cilantro, mint, blanched almonds, and cherry tomatoes.
• Serve hot with Raita, Pachadi, and Poppadums.

Tips:

• You can add coconut milk in this recipe. It will taste more when you add coconut milk. Adjust the water quantity, to change the consistency and thickness of coconut milk according to your needs.