Tomato Pulao

This is very similar to the typical Tomato Rice prepared in SouthIndia but just the spices/drypowders used here are slightly different. In general when I make vegetable pulao, i only use Green Chillies & whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves etc. Similarly while preparing this tomato pulao i use the same ingredients. This Pulao is so flavorful and you can serve this with a simple raita as sidedish. Its one of the easiest lunchbox dishes that can be prepared in 20 minutes on a busy weekday morning.

I cooked the rice separately and then prepared the tomato mix separately. If you are running out of time you can also prepare it like a ‘One Pot meal’. Get the tomato mix ready first, add Basmati rice and cook them together. Have done this way too, pulao turned out well. Just you need to make sure that you add right amount of water so that rice dont become soggy.

To get the perfect tanginess in the dish always add less onion. Following measurement serves two people. So i have used 2 medium sized onions & 5 medium sized tomatoes. Kindly adjust the quantity depending on the number of people you will be serving the dish and also the variety of tomato you will be using. Certain variety dont give that bright red color to rice and the rice might look pale. If thats the case add a tbsp of Tomato Sauce while preparing the mix. This might sound wierd but trust me, this is the best hack to get that perfect reddish orange color to Pulao 😬😬

Print Recipe

Tomato Pulao

Course

lunch or dinner, Main Dish

Cuisine

south indian, tamil

Prep Time

20 Minutes

Servings

People

Ingredients

• Tomato 5
• Onion 2
• Green Chillies 4
• 1 tbsp Finely Chopped Ginger,Ginger
• Few curry leaves
• leaves Coriander & Mint For garnish
• 1/2 Tsp turmeric
• 1/2 Tsp salt
• 1/2 Tsp Oil
• 1/2 Tbsp ghee This is optional. it adds aroma to our dish. You can skip it & can add oil instead
• 1/4 cup milk Adds a sweetness helps in balancing the tanginess in tomato
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce add if you feel the rice is pale in color because of the variety of tomato used. Else skip this
• Spices :
• 2 cardamom
• 5 Cloves
• 2 Bayleaf
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tbsp Saunf
• 1/2 Tbsp Mustard Seeds

Course lunch or dinner, Main Dish Cuisine south indian, tamil Prep Time 20 Minutes Servings People Ingredients Tomato 5 Onion 2 Green Chillies 4 1 tbsp Finely Chopped Ginger,Ginger Few curry leaves leaves Coriander & Mint For garnish 1/2 Tsp turmeric 1/2 Tsp salt 1/2 Tsp Oil 1/2 Tbsp ghee This is optional. it adds aroma to our dish. You can skip it & can add oil instead 1/4 cup milk Adds a sweetness helps in balancing the tanginess in tomato 1 tbsp tomato sauce add if you feel the rice is pale in color because of the variety of tomato used. Else skip this Spices : 2 cardamom 5 Cloves 2 Bayleaf 1 Cinnamon stick 1/2 tbsp Saunf 1/2 Tbsp Mustard Seeds

Instructions

1. Heat ghee & oil in a sauce pan
2. Add the whole spices one by one (cardamom, clove, cinnamon, bayleaf & saunf)
3. Saute for a minute or two and then add mustard seeds
4. Let it splutter
5. Slit the green chillies into two and then add curry leaves. Saute them for a minute
6. Now add onions, ginger garlic pieces and tomato
7. Saute for atleast 5-7 minutes until the tomatoes become mushy
8. At this stage add salt, turmeric & milk
9. If you are adding tomato sauce this is the right time to add
10. Mix well and close the pan. Turn the flame low
11. After 2-3 minutes add cooked rice and using a fork mix everything well. Adjust salt.
12. Garnish with coriander leaves & mint leaves
13. Tomato Pulao is ready to be served