Tomato Rice

Ingredients

1. Cooked Rice - 2 cups
2. Onion - 1/2 (chopped)
3. Ginger garlic Paste - 1 tsp
4. Tomatoes - 1 (chopped) + 2 (pureed)
5. Green Chilies - 2 (chopped)
6. Red Chili Powder - 2 tsp
7. Garam Masala - a pinch
8. Cilantro - for garnish
9. Salt - as needed
10. For Tempering
11. Oil/Ghee - 2 tbsp
12. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
13. Fennel/Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
14. Channa Dal - 1 tsp (optional)
15. Urad dal - 1 tsp
16. Cashews - 1 tbsp
17. Curry Leaves - 1 spring

Method

1. You can cook the rice or use leftover rice to make tomato rice.
2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds.
3. Add channa dal, urad dal and fennel seeds and fry till it turns reddish brown in colour.
4. Add cashews, green chilies and curry leaves.
5. Add the onions and fry till it turns translucent.
6. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds.
7. Next add the pureed tomatoes and cook till the raw smell vanishes.
8. Add the chopped tomato, salt, garam masala and chili powder. Cook for a couple of minutes.
9. Now toss the cooked rice with this masala. Check for salt and other seasonings and adjust according to your taste.
10. Finally sprinkle with some chopped cilantro and switch off.

Tips

1. The tempering is absolutely optional. It adds a nice crunch to the rice dish. I personally like to add tempering when I have tomato rice as a simple meal with some papad, boiled egg or raita. But when I make tomato rice with some rich side dish like chicken curry or potato kurma, I like to make it plain without tempering. You can name this variation as 'Tomato Biriyani'.
2. Another variation is to make it a one pot meal. Make the masala as above and cook the rice along with the masala. This is a good option when you are in a hurry.