Comfort food: How to make tomato rice

Ingredients

• Tomatoes - 4 to 5
• Onions - 2
• Green chili - 2 to 3
• Red chilli - 3 to 4
• Ginger garlic paste (one tablespoon)
• Black pepper (a few)
• Cloves (a few)
• Star anise (a few)
• Cardamom (a few)
• Bay leaves (a couple of big leaves, broken)
• Cumin (two teaspoons)
• Black stone flower (a few)
• Cinnamon (a few)
• Oil (3-4 tablespoons)
• Garam Masala
• Salt
• Turmeric powder
• Biryani masala
• Red chilli powder
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves and coriander

Instructions

1. Cut the tomatoes, to medium sized pieces
2. Cut the onions to little pieces or C-shaped pieces
3. In a pan, add oil and heat for a couple of minutes
4. Add the spices - Black pepper, Cinnamon, cloves, Bay leaves, Cumin, Star anise, Black stone, mustard seeds and heat the mixture for 2 minutes and stir well
5. Add ginger garlic paste, cut and add the green and red chilli and stir well for 2 minutes
6. Add the onions, tomatoes and curry leaves
7. Add salt (as required) two teaspoons turmeric, one teaspoon red chilli powder, two teaspoons of biryani masala and garam masala
8. Now stir the mixture well for three minutes and add half tumbler of water
9. Close the pan and let it heat well for five minutes. Stir occasionally and let it cook well. This process is for 20 minutes
10. After all the ingredients are blended well, you will get an aromatic smell indicating you have done the things right.
11. Let it remain closed for a few minutes. Then mix it well with cooked rice. Add coriander leaves and mix again.

Recipe Notes

Add the different masalas as required. They do enhance the taste, but adding too much or too little will make them too spicy or bland. Find the right balance. Lemon pickle goes well with tomato rice.

Recipe by

Ganesh Murthy