JollyRoses
Indian Rice · South Indian

South Indian Tomato Rice

Be the first to rate this recipe

One-pot South Indian tomato rice: rice simmered with tomatoes, onion, curry leaves and warm spices until fluffy. An easy weeknight meal or lunchbox dish.

By The JollyRoses Kitchen · Updated

Prep
15 min
Cook
40 min
Total
1 hr 25 min
Serves
3
Vegan Easy Main Course Includes 30 min hands-off
Cook it
Steel tray filled with orange-red spiced long-grain rice
Photo: Umair Ali Asad on Unsplash · photo shows a similar dish

Tomato rice, called thakkali sadam in Tamil (Karnataka's tomato bath is a close cousin), is rice cooked in a spiced tomato and onion base. It is tangy, gently hot and a favorite for lunchboxes and quick dinners.

This recipe uses the one-pot method: the rice cooks right in the tomato masala, so every grain soaks up the flavor and there is only one pot to wash.

Why this recipe works

  • Cooking the tomatoes down until the oil separates gives a deep, rounded flavor instead of a raw, sour one.
  • Soaking the rice for 20 minutes helps it cook evenly in the thick tomato base.
  • Resting the pot off the heat lets the rice finish steaming so the grains stay separate.

South Indian Tomato Rice recipe

By The JollyRoses Kitchen · 1 hr 25 min total · Easy

Ingredients

Servings 3

For the rice

For the tomato masala

Equipment

  • Heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid (about 3 quarts)
  • Fine-mesh strainer
  • Wooden spoon

Instructions

  1. Rinse and soak the rice

    Rinse the rice in several changes of water until it runs mostly clear. Cover with fresh water and soak for 20 minutes, then drain well in a strainer.

  2. Bloom the whole spices

    Heat the oil in the pot over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, fennel and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds pop, add the curry leaves and stir for a few seconds.

  3. Cook the onion

    Add the onion and green chilies and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and light golden, 5–6 minutes. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell is gone, about 1 minute.

  4. Cook down the tomatoes

    Add the tomatoes, turmeric, chili powder, ground coriander and salt. Cook, stirring and mashing, until the tomatoes collapse into a thick paste and oil glistens at the edges, 8–10 minutes. Stir in the garam masala, mint and cilantro.

  5. Add the rice and water

    Add the drained rice and stir gently for 1 minute to coat the grains. Pour in the water, taste the liquid and adjust the salt (it should taste slightly salty). Bring to a boil.

  6. Simmer covered

    Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly and cook without lifting the lid for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.

  7. Rest and fluff

    Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork, remove the whole spices if you like, and garnish with cilantro.

Tips for the best south indian tomato rice

  • Do not rush the tomato stage. Undercooked tomatoes make the rice taste sharp and raw.
  • Juicy tomatoes add liquid, so if yours are very watery, reduce the water by 2–3 tablespoons.
  • For a pressure cooker, follow the same steps in the cooker, use 1½ cups water (1¼ cups for basmati) and cook for 2 whistles on medium heat, then let the pressure release naturally.
  • Leftover tomato masala freezes well; stir it into plain cooked rice for a quick lunch.
  • The ingredients are naturally gluten-free, but some packaged spice blends such as garam masala are processed alongside wheat; check labels if you need the dish gluten-free.

Substitutions

Neutral oilGhee, or half oil and half ghee, for a richer flavor (the dish is then vegetarian, not vegan).
Fresh tomatoes1 cup canned crushed tomatoes, cooked down the same way.
Sona masoori or basmati riceSeeraga samba rice; soak and cook it the same way.
MintMore cilantro, or leave it out.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow covered container within 1 hour of cooking (never more than 2 hours) and eat within 3 days. Sprinkle with a little water and reheat until steaming hot all the way through.

What to serve with south indian tomato rice

Frequently asked questions

What is thakkali sadam?
Thakkali sadam is the Tamil name for tomato rice. Thakkali means tomato and sadam means cooked rice.
Can I make tomato rice with leftover rice?
Yes. Cook the tomato masala as described, then fold in about 3 cups of cooled cooked rice and warm through. It is quicker, though the grains absorb less flavor than in the one-pot method.
Why is my tomato rice mushy?
Too much water or skipping the rest can make it soft. Juicy tomatoes add liquid, so measure the water carefully and let the rice rest covered before fluffing.
Is tomato rice vegan?
This version is vegan because it is cooked in oil. Versions made with ghee are vegetarian.

Rate this recipe

Made it? Tap a star to rate — no sign-up needed.

Reviews

No reviews yet.

Sign in to write a review and share a photo of your south indian tomato rice.

You might also like

All indian rice
Oval white dish of spiced basmati rice with broccoli, peas, carrots and corn, with bowls of peas and corn alongside
VegetarianNorth Indian

Veg Pulao

1 hr 25 min Easy Serves 4
Cook it Rate it