Tomato rice or Thakkali sadham is an easy to make rice varieties for lunch box. It goes well with potato stir fry, potato chips and pickles.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup – Raw rice (uncooked)
• 2 nos – Tomato (medium sized) (chopped finely)
• 1 no – Onion (chopped)
• 2 or 3 nos – Garlic (crushed)
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1/2 to 1 tsp – Red chilli powder
• 1/8 tsp – Sugar
• Salt as needed

Seasonings:

• 1 tbsp – Sesame oil
• 1 no – Cinnamon stick / pattai
• 1 no – Clove
• 1 no – Bay leaf
• 1 no – Cardamom
• 1/4 tsp – Fennel seeds / Perunjeeragam
• 1/4 tsp – Cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp – Mustard seeds
• 5 or 6 nos – Fresh curry leaves
• 1 pinch – Asafoetida

Preparation method:

1. Wash and soak rice for 30 mins. Pressure cook rice (raw rice 1:2 ratio) for 3 to 4 whistles or until well cooked. Spread the rice in a wide plate and allow them to cool completely.
2. Heat oil in a pan, season with items given in the list for seasonings. Add onion and crushed garlic along with little salt, saute until translucent.
3. Add tomatoes and saute until they are mushy. Then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sugar and required salt, saute until raw smell goes.
4. Now add cooked rice and mix everything well together, allow them to cook for a minute. Switch off the stove and serve hot. Simple thakkali sadham / tomato rice is ready.

Notes:

• You can also replace raw rice with basmati rice.
• You can increase or decrease the number of tomatoes according to its sourness.