Tomato Rice, also known as Thakkali Sadam, is a flavorful South Indian rice dish made with rice sautéed in a spiced tomato masala, tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, herbs and aromatic spices. Tangy, mildly spicy and comforting, this one-pot meal is a popular choice for lunchboxes and quick meals, best enjoyed with raita or papad.
Tomato Rice Recipe – A South Indian Classic
This easy, quick and delicious Tomato Rice recipe is a favorite staple dish from the Tamil Nadu state of South India.
Also known as Thakkali Sadam in Tamil language, this one pot wonder is tasty, healthy and perfect to pack in a tiffin for lunch on the go.
Thakkali means tomato and sadam means rice in Tamil. It is a slightly spicy rice dish made with tomatoes, spices and rice. You can easily adjust the heat to your liking.
Serve it plain, or with crispy papad and any raita that you like. It makes a wonderfully filling and light lunch.
I love to make a batch of this tomato rice often and serve it for lunch. It is also an ideal dish for packing in a tiffin. It requires only one pot, so there’s very little clean-up.
My recipe is made in a stove-top pressure cooker. Like most rice recipes, it can also be made in the Instant Pot or in a regular pan. Quick Instant Pot and stove-top instructions are shared in the recipe card below.
This recipe is inspired by the tomato rice we would eat at the cafe in the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu.
Isha Yoga Centre, set at the foothills of the Velliangiri Mountains, has been a wonderful place to meditate. This tomato rice transports me back to those peaceful days, filled with silence and tranquility.
It has taken me multiple attempts to get this recipe right, and I am so excited to share the flavors of our rich time in Tamil Nadu.
The recipe has a perfect balance of flavors that complement the tanginess of the tomatoes beautifully. You will love this tomato rice for its simplicity and overall balanced taste.
To add some pops of sweetness, include frozen or fresh green peas, carrots, or sweet corn. These also make the dish more wholesome and flavorful.
Looking to make Instant Tomato Rice? Try my zesty Tomato Thokku (Tomato Pickle). Store it in the fridge. When the craving strikes, just mix it with steamed rice. Tadaa! Your Instant Tomato Rice is ready.
Love Tomato Rice? You may also like these South Indian rice varieties:
How to make Tomato Rice
Soak Rice
1. This recipe is simple and quick. First up, rinse your basmati (or other long grain rice) under water until the water comes out clear. Now soak your rice in fresh water for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain the rice and set it aside.
Tip: Do not skip this step! Rinsing the rice removes surface starches that can cause the rice to become gummy while cooking. Soaking gives the rice the opportunity to cook more evenly and will ensure you don’t get any half cooked pieces.
When the rice grains are soaking, prep the remaining ingredients. Finely chop onions, tomatoes, green chillies and coriander leaves. Make a paste of ginger and garlic is a mortar-pestle. Set aside the spices and curry leaves.
Sauté Aromatics and Tomatoes
2. Next up, pull out your trusty 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker and heat oil over a low flame until barely shimmering. You could use any neutral tasting oil or Ghee. I have used sunflower oil.
Tip: Using an Instant Pot? Set it to the sauté function for the next several steps.
Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds to the heated oil and allow them to cook until crackling. Next, add 4 to 5 fenugreek seeds (methi) and fry for about a couple of seconds making sure you do not burn them.
3. Next, add ⅓ cup chopped onions, ½ inch cinnamon stick, 2 green cardamom pods and 2 to 3 whole cloves.
4. Stir and sauté until the onions are translucent.
5. Now add 1 ½ teaspoons ginger garlic paste, 6 to 7 curry leaves and 1 chopped green chili (½ teaspoon chopped chillies)
Tip: For a less spiced taste, add about 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste and reduce the green chillies.
6. Stir, then continue to sauté until the aroma of raw ginger-garlic goes away, about some seconds.
7. Add ½ tablespoon of chopped mint leaves and ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander leaves (also known as cilantro).
8. Stir and sauté for a minute.
9. Now add in 1 cup of finely chopped tomatoes. This required about 3 medium tomatoes for me.
10. Add the following list of ground spices:
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder or crushed black pepper*
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
Tip: If you are averse to spicy foods, you can adjust the heat level by using only ¼ teaspoon each of chilli powder and black pepper. You could also add ½ teaspoon of Sambar Masala for a more robust taste and flavor.
11. Stir well to coat the tomatoes in the spices and sauté.
12. Cook until the tomatoes become soft and pulpy, and the oil begins to release from the sides. Stir often.
13. Add the soaked rice and stir to combine.
Make Tomato Rice
14. Sauté the rice for a minute to allow it to soak in some of the toasted spice flavors.
15. Next up, add 1¾ cup water. Add 2 cups water for more softer rice. For separate grains, add 1½ cup water.
16. Season with salt to taste, then put the lid on.
Tip: If using the Instant Pot, put the lid on and switch the function to pressure cook on high for 5 to 6 minutes, then allow a natural release after 10 minutes.
17. Let the pressure drop naturally in the cooker. Then only remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
18. Serve Tomato Rice in a bowl with crunchy papads (also known as papadums or appalams), plain curd or flavored raita like – Onion Raita, Cucumber Raita or Boondi Raita. Garnish with some fresh coriander leaves for a bit of brightness. Enjoy!
Variations
- Type of Rice: You can use any variety of rice – regular short grain, long grain, parboiled (converted rice), or even brown rice. But be sure to add water as needed and increase or decrease the cook time accordingly. For the best flavor, I prefer using fragrant rice like basmati or seeraga samba.
- Using Parboiled Rice: If you’re using parboiled rice, soak it for at least 1 hour before cooking. Also, increase the water slightly and cook for a bit longer to ensure the grains are soft and fluffy.
- Using Cooked Rice: Tomato rice can also be made with leftover cooked rice. Simply prepare the tomato masala as mentioned in the recipe, and mix the cooked rice into it. Gently toss until the masala coats the rice evenly. This version also works great for lunchboxes.
- Add Veggies: To make the dish more wholesome, you can add vegetables like green peas, carrots, sweet corn, broccoli, cauliflower or even capsicum.
- Tomatoes: If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, use about 1 cup crushed or chopped canned tomatoes instead.
Expert Tips
- Rinsing Rice: Make sure to rinse the rice well. Doing so, the surface starches will be removed from the rice and your rice won’t turn gummy while being cooked. Also, soak well for even cooking of rice grains.
- Quantity of water: For the basmati rice I used, I added about 1¾ cups water. This quantity will alter depending on the quality of rice you use. To make soft rice, you can add 2 cups water. For separate grains, you can add 1½ cups water.
- Tangy & Spicy Balance: Adjust the number of green chilies and red chilli powder to suit your spice preference. For a more tangy flavor, you can add a bit of tamarind extract or a squeeze of lemon juice at the end.
- Consistency Check: If using a pressure cooker, avoid overcooking the rice. The grains should remain separate and fluffy, not mushy.
- Make it in the Instant Pot: You can easily adapt this recipe to the Instant Pot. Use the sauté function for the steps of sautéing spices, onion and tomatoes to begin with. Then, once you add rice and water, cover with the lid and set to the pressure cook on high for 6 to 8 minutes function. Then, allow a natural release after 10 minutes.
- Make it in a pan: Begin by adding 2 cups water for cooking the rice in a pan. Cover and simmer. Check halfway. If the rice looks dry, then add about ¼ cup water.
- Scaling: It is possible to make this dish for larger servings. However, an increase in quantities of ingredients proportionally might not work this recipe.
FAQs
I don’t have cinnamon, ginger and cloves on hand. What can I substitute?
No problem! Simply substitute about ¼ teaspoon of Garam Masala instead.
What size measuring cup should I use?
Both 240 ml and 250 ml measuring cups work well for this recipe. 1 cup of uncooked rice should yield 3 ½ – 4 cups cooked rice.
Can I increase the size of this recipe to feed 20 people?
While you can make this recipe for a larger group, increasing the ingredients proportionally doesn’t work. We use the method of andaaz (approximation) by eyeballing the ingredients. I’m sorry I can’t help you approximate!
Can I make this without a pressure cooker?
Yes, you can make this in a normal saucepan as well. Start out with 2 cups of water to cook the rice, then cover with a lid and simmer. Check when the rice is about halfway done, and if it looks dry, add up to another ¼ cup of water.
Preparation
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Rinse basmati rice or any regular rice for a couple of times in water.
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Then soak the rice in water for 20 to 30 minutes. Later drain the rice and keep aside.
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Chop the tomatoes, onions and green chillies finely. Peel and crush the ginger-garlic in a mortar pestle. Also, chop the mint and coriander leaves
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Keep aside all the spices required for the rice.
Sautéing onions, tomatoes, spices
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In a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker, heat the oil. Keep the heat to a low and add mustard seeds and crackle them.
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Next add fenugreek seeds and just lightly fry for a couple of seconds without burning them.
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Next add finely chopped onions and cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.
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Stir and sauté until the onions turn translucent and soften.
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Add the ginger-garlic paste, chopped green chilies and curry leaves.
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Stir and sauté for some seconds until the raw aroma of ginger-garlic dissipates.
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Next add chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves.
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Stir and saute for a minute.
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Keep heat to a low or switch off the heat. Add the finely chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder, red chilli powder, black pepper powder or crushed black pepper, coriander powder and cumin powder. Add this point, you could also add ½ teaspoon of Sambar Masala if you like.
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Mix very well and sauté the tomatoes until they soften and become pulpy with oil releasing from the sides.
Cooking tomato rice
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Add the soaked rice. Gently mix the rice with the tomato mixture very well. Sauté for a minute.
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Add 1.75 cups water. For a more softer consistency in the rice, you can also add 2 cups water.
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Season with salt as per taste.
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Cover and pressure cook tomato rice for 2 whistles on medium heat or about 10 to 11 minutes. To get a softer rice, you can also pressure cook for 3 whistles.
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When the pressure settles down on its own. Then remove the lid and gently fluff the tomato rice.
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Serve tomato rice with appalams or chips or with a side of your preferred raita or plain curd (yogurt).
- Reducing spiciness: To reduce the heat and pungency, use less amounts of ginger-garlic paste, black pepper powder and red chili powder. So you can add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder and ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder.
- Quantity of water: I have added 1¾ cup water as this amount was perfect for the basmati rice that I had used. The amount of water that you need to add will also depend on the quality of rice. For a softer rice you can add 2 cups and for separate grains, add 1½ cup water.
- Scaling: While you can make this recipe for a larger group, increasing the ingredients proportionally may not work for this recipe.
- Cooking in a pan: Start out with 2 cups of water to cook the rice, then cover with a lid and simmer. Check when the rice is about halfway done, and if it looks dry, add up to another ¼ cup of water.
- Cooking in an Instant Pot: Begin with setting the the sauté function for the steps of sautéing spices, onion and tomatoes. After you add the rice and water, put the lid on and switch the function to pressure cook on high for 6 to 8 minutes, then allow a natural release after 10 minutes.
Ingredient Swaps
Cooked rice: You can skip adding raw rice. If you have leftover rice or cooked rice, then mix it with the tomato masala and mix thoroughly. You can add about 3 ½ to 4 cups of cooked rice.
Canned tomatoes: You could easily add 1 cup of chopped or crushed canned tomatoes in place of fresh tomatoes.
Calories: 121kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 714IU | Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): 1mg | Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 1mg | Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 23mg | Vitamin B6: 1mg | Vitamin C: 49mg | Vitamin E: 4mg | Vitamin K: 9µg | Calcium: 33mg | Vitamin B9 (Folate): 246µg | Iron: 1mg | Magnesium: 19mg | Phosphorus: 25mg | Zinc: 1mg
Tomato Rice recipe from the archives was first published on June 2015.