South Indian Tomato Rice (Tomato Bath or Thakkali Sadam) + Video

Tomato Rice also known as Tomato Bath or Thakkali Sadam is a delicious South Indian rice recipe which is super quick to make. Make it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, it fits it all. Here is how to make Tomato Rice Recipe (Step by Step).

The best recipes that I came across when I moved from North india to Bangalore were the many flavoured South Indian rice recipes. I was surprised to know that there existed so many different versions of flavoured rice and each one was quite special. Lemon rice, tamarind rice, curd rice, tomato rice, curry leaf rice, ellu sadam the list is endless.

These South India rice recipes are fabulous to pack for lunch boxes since they are super quick to  make and keeps good for a few hours. These are also perfect to use the left over rice and transform the plain white rice into a totally new dish.

I am really in love with South Indian Recipes and they are quite a regular in my North Indian kitchen and this Tomato Rice or as locally called Tomato Bath or Thakkali Sadam is a family fav now.

So for today I am posting this easy step by step  tomato rice or tomato Bath recipe which is a family favourite. This recipe can be made in a pressure cooker in less than 15 minutes.

What is Tomato Rice?

This tomato rice is a South Indian style rice dish where rice is cooked along with lots of tomatoes and tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves and other ingredients. It’s a fabulous lunch box option for kids and adults and can be had for any time of the day.

The dish is gluten free and if made in oil instead of ghee, it’s vegan too.

How to make Tomato Rice

To make tomato rice, first heat ghee in a pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds to it. Let them crackle to release their flavour in the oil and then add whole garam masala in the oil. The flavour of these garam masala lends a very nice aroma to this rice and I highly recommend using these.

Next up, add onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and green chilli and fry them until the tomato is mushy. Cooking until tomato turns mushy will make sure all the tangy flavour gores inside the rice when it is cooked in this masala making it super delicious. You can also add curry leaves to make it even more flavourful.

Now add the dry masalas and rice and cover and cook until all the liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked nicely. Make sure to simmer the gas to low after adding rice and water and covering the pan. Garnish the rice with generous amount of chopped coriander before serving.

This rice can be served with any raita of your choice and papad and pickle. This recipe is very forgiving. You can adapt it according to your liking, the level of spice you like etc.

How to cook Tomato Rice in pressure cooker?

You can follow the recipe as it is, just replace the pan with a pressure cooker. Cook the rice for one whistle on high heat and then simmer the heat to low. Cook for another whistle on low heat and then remove the pressure cooker from heat. Let the pressure release on it’s own and then open the lid and fluff the rice.

How to cook Tomato Rice in Instant Pot?

Press SAUTE button and add ghee in IP.

Add the tempering ingredients, onion and tomatoes as mentioned in the recipe below.

After adding the rice, close the lid of the Instant Pot and press PRESSURE COOK. Set the timer to 4 minutes. Wait for the timer to go off. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Release the remaining pressure  and open the lid.

What goes well with Tomato Bath?

I like to make various raita (Yogurt Dip) to pair with tomato rice. Papad also goes very well with it.

You can also serve it with pickle or any chutney.

Tips to make best Thakkali Sadam

You can use left over rice to make this recipe. Make the masala and then instead of adding rice and water, add cooked rice and mix everything well.

You can add vegetables of your choice to make this rice even healthier. Try adding peas, cauliflower, carrots, beans etc.

Use ripe and soft tomatoes to make this recipe. If the tomatoes are hard, they will not become mushy and you will find chunks of tomato in your bite.

You can also add some coriander and mint paste to this recipe to give it a slightly different taste.

Increase or decrease the amount of chilli as per your liking.

You might also like these Indian Rice Recipes

Indian Spinach Rice

Jeera Rice

Tawa Pulao

Matar Pulao

Rava Upma

How to make Tomato Rice Step By Step

Heat ghee in a pan.

Once the ghee is hot, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds.

Add cloves, cinnamon and black peppercorns and fry for a few seconds.

Now add onion and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add ginger and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add tomato and green chilli and fry until tomato turns mushy. Now add little water if required.

Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder and cook for a minute.

Add washed rice along with water and salt.

Cover the pan and cook on low heat until all the water is absorbed and rice is cooked. Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve hot with a raita.

Tomato Rice Recipe

4.41 from 5 votes

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Tomato Rice

Tomato Rice is a delicious South Indian style rice recipe which is super quick to make. make it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, it fits it all.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 263 kcal

Author Neha Mathur

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Ghee
• 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2-3 Cloves
• 1 inch Cinnamon
• 2-3 Black Peppercorn
• 1/2 cup Onion Chopped
• 1 tsp Ginger Grated
• 1 tsp Garlic Chopped
• 1 cup Tomato Chopped
• 2-3 Green Chilli Slit into half
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 1 cup Rice
• 2 cups Water
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Fresh Coriander Chopped

Instructions

1. Heat ghee in a pan.

2. Once the ghee is hot, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds.

3. Add cloves, cinnamon and black peppercorns and fry for a few seconds.

4. Add onion and fry for 2-3 minutes.

5. Now add ginger and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes.

6. Add tomato and green chilli and fry until tomato turns mushy.

7. Add little water if required.

8. Now add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder and cook for a minute.

9. Add washed rice along with water and salt.

10. Cover the pan and cook on low heat until all the water is absorbed and rice is cooked.

11. Garnish with fresh coriander.

12. Serve hot with a raita.

Recipe Notes

You can use left over rice to make this recipe. Make the masala and then instead of adding rice and water, add cooked rice and mix everything well.

You can add vegetables of your choice to make this rice even healthier. Try adding peas, cauliflower, carrots, beans etc.

Use ripe and soft tomatoes to make this recipe. If the tomatoes are hard, they will not become mushy and you will find chunks of tomato in your bite.

You can also add some coriander and mint paste to this recipe to give it a slightly different taste.

Increase or decrease the amount of chilli as per your liking.

Nutrition Facts

Tomato Rice

Amount Per Serving

Calories 263 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 19mg6%

Sodium 93mg4%

Potassium 170mg5%

Carbohydrates 43g14%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 425IU9%

Vitamin C 9.5mg12%

Calcium 25mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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