Tomato rice
Preparation Time
8 minutes
Cooking Time
26 minutes
Difficulty Level
easy
Meal Type
Lunch
Serves 4
Key Ingredients
- Basmati Rice
About This Recipe
Tomato rice, called thakkali sadam in Tamil Nadu and tomato bath in Karnataka, is a classic South Indian lunchbox rice. Most homes fold cooked rice into a ready tomato masala; this version cooks the raw rice in the same pot, so every grain absorbs the masala as it steams.
The tomato-to-rice ratio is the recipe: four ripe tomatoes to one and a half cups of basmati gives a pot where each grain is stained and seasoned, and the masala thickens into a coating rather than a gravy. The order of the pot matters too. The whole spices bloom in ghee first, then the onion softens, and only then do the tomatoes go in, cooked until the masala dries out and the ghee beads on the surface.
Cooked rice works just as well: make the masala, then fold in three cups of cooked rice and leave the pot covered for five minutes. For the pressure cooker, add the rice and water after the tomatoes, close the lid and cook on high for two whistles, then let the pressure drop on its own. No sambar powder at home? A teaspoon of coriander powder with a little extra chilli does the job, and a handful of peas or leftover vegetables can go in with the rice.
Ingredient List
Serving Size:
1x
2x
3x
Rice and spices
- Basmati Rice — 1 1/2 cups
- Cinnamon (1-inch stick) — 1 piece
- Cloves — 4 pieces
- Dried red chillies — 2 pieces
Tomato masala
- Ripe tomatoes, finely chopped — 4 pieces
- Onion, finely chopped — 1 piece
- Ginger, grated — 1 tsp
- Green chilli, slit — 2 pieces
- Curry leaves (fresh, or a few dried) — 1 sprig
- Sambar powder — 1 tsp
- Turmeric Powder — 1/2 tsp
To finish
- Ghee (1 tbsp for the tempering, 1 tbsp to finish) — 2 tbsp
- Salt — 1 1/2 tsp
- Fresh coriander leaves, chopped — 2 tbsp
- Hot water — 2 1/2 cups
Skip The Store !
Get all you need for the recipe in just a few clicks
Serving Suggestions
Serve hot with a bowl of curd or raita, roasted papad and a lime wedge; a little pickle on the side cuts the tang. It packs well for the lunchbox once it has cooled, if the curd travels in its own box. Leftovers keep up to two days in the fridge and fluff up again with a splash of water while reheating.
Tips for Cooking Tomato rice
Use ripe tomatoes; pale ones give a pale rice and a thin masala. Do not rush the tomato step: the masala is ready only when it shrinks, darkens and lets the ghee bead on top. Two and a half cups of water for one and a half cups of soaked rice keeps the grains separate. Rest the pot covered before serving, and fluff with a fork, never a spoon, so the grains stay whole.
Chef’s Note
The tomato masala is the whole dish, so salt it in layers: a little with the onion, more with the tomatoes, and taste the water before the rice goes in. Whole cinnamon and cloves are left in the pot, not eaten; pick them out or push them aside as you eat. A serving comes to about 338 kcal with 6 g of protein, nearly all of it from the rice.
Per serving (approx.): 338 kcal, protein 6 g, carbs 59 g, fat 7.9 g, fibre 2.6 g. Computed from IFCT 2017 / USDA values for the listed quantities. Measures: 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 tbsp = 15 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml.
Happy Cooking
!!
ByCOWBERRY
Apr 27, 2026
Recipes You’ll Love
More everyday cooking with COWBERRY organics, from the same kitchen.
Preparation Time
15 Min
Cooking Time
30 Min
Difficulty Level
easy
Preparation Time
3 Min
Cooking Time
32 Min
Difficulty Level
easy
Preparation Time
8 Min
Cooking Time
28 Min
Difficulty Level
easy