Monday 21 June 2010

Thakkali saadham / Tomato rice


I brought some attractive, reddish, juicy and ripe tomatoes. They looked very beautiful, I enjoyed clicking them :). I have two people in my home who love tomatoes crazily- my mom and my hubby. My mom's vegetable shopping is never complete without buying tomatoes and so is Rajender. Both of them love dishes made with tomato too.

The scientific name of tomato is Solanum lycopersicum. It is also called as love apple (!!!). Tomato plant is grown world-wide for its edible fruits.  There are 7500 varieties of tomatoes (surprising isn't it ?). Tomatoes are rich in lycopene which is a powerful anti-oxidant. The lycopene in tomatoes are better absorbed by our body when they are cooked or preserved. Lycopene offers protection against neurodegenerative diseases and some forms of cancer. Tomatoes are also rich in vitamin C and vitamin A. 

The tomato rice I prepare will be more like a biriyani. I love the version without much spices too. Actually this recipe is very easy and can be prepared in a few minutes time.  Try this one-pot dish for a healthy, easy and enjoyable meal.

Ingredients :

Tomatoes- 4 nos
Onion-1 no
Basmati rice- 2 cups
Garlic- 4 pods
Ginger- 1/2 inch piece
Green chillies- 4 nos
Cardamom- 2 nos
Cloves- 3 nos
Cinnamon- 1/2 inch piece
Fennel seeds- 1/2 tspn
Red chilli powder- 1 tspn (adjust according to your taste)
Oil- 3 tbspns
Salt to taste

Method :

First grind half of the onions, green chillies, ginger, garlic and fennel seeds into a paste. Heat oil in a pressure cooker ( I prepared it in a pressure cooker, you can use rice cooker too). When the oil is hot add  cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. When they emit a nice aroma add the onions and saute well. Then add the ground paste and chilli powder. Saute until the raw smell disappears. Now add the cut tomatoes and saute till they become soft. To the above mixture add rice and mix well. Then add enough water  and salt to taste (I add 3 cups water for 2 cups of basmati rice). Close the pressure cooker and cook for 3 minutes after the first whistle comes. Remove from fire and open the cooker after 10 minutes or after the pressure is released.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : Quality of toamto is very important. Look for ripe but firm, red tomatoes. Do not add too much spices. Very little will give a nice aroma and taste. The dish will be much tastier if the tomatoes are a bit sour. Happy cooking !!!

26 comments:

  1. I join with ur mom and hubby, i cant live without tomatoes too, love tomato rice and can survive with this rice for many days, delicious dish..

    Btw sorry i have completely forgotten to reply ur answer regarding the coriander roots, i have see them but they are quite expensive for me, so i'll get coriander bunches from Indian groceries since they are quite cheap there..

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  2. Loved your version of tomato rice as well...nice one

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  3. Looks very flavorful and yummy rice.

    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  4. I love tomato rice. Yummy !

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  5. wht a bful color...love rice with raitha...yumm n mouthwatering..love tomatoes

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  6. mm..yummy! tomatoes look good.

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  7. mm.mm.mm.. This is my favorite kind of rice :)

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  8. good work dear.... explaining o every ingredients you used.... and tomato rice luks perfect

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  9. This is all time favorite of my family, looks yummy, in fact have posted twice for this dish...

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  10. Look very delicious..I love anything with tomato..

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  11. thats really a beautiful looking tomatoes..love tomato rice..even I make this sometimes but my recipe is different than yours...that looks yummy..thanks for sharing this!

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  12. Arumayana Thakkali Sadam, Beautiful Clicks too

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  13. Yummy tomato rice..love it..I too make it somewhat like biryani:)

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  14. Looks delicious tomato rice..I too make in a same way..

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  15. Tomato rice looks wonderful and tasty.

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  16. I love tomato rice manju yours looks perfect.

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  17. Love tomato rice... the easiest to prepare..

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  18. the tomato rice looks so deliicous manju..really with all spices its a simple version of briyani. i used to prepare the simplified version of this one.. looks so nice and yum

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  19. a favourite at home..look yummy

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  20. Wow! tomato looks very fresh, my favourite lunch tomato saadam.
    Manju it's so nice to know that you studied in VGS, but unfortunately i din't have any friends from there. I studied in SPIC Nagar Higher Secondary Secondary School from KG to 12th std, by any chance do you know about that school?

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  21. My favorite rice. Tomatoes looks really delicious felt like grab from the screen and eat. I too prepare the same way and at the end I do add some toasted and crushed peanuts for crunchy taste.

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  22. Poor peoplelooda applenu oru name thakkalikku undu. yenga amma pattani yellam add panni seyyum thakkali satham yabakathukku vanthuruthu akka!! nice post. sisters rendu peeru vanthaa thakkaliyai relate panni oru vasanam solluvaa ungalukku theriyuma manju akka!!..:P

    என்றும் வம்புடன்,
    தக்குடு

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  23. Love your tomato rice..I too prepare it mostly the similar way.

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  24. Thakkudu thanks for the info :) Unnoda lollu thaanga mudiyala :D enna solluvanga? theriyathe....

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  25. //enna solluvanga? theriyathe....// அப்போ சொல்லட்டுமா?? "அக்காளும் தங்கையும் தக்காளிப்பழமா வராளே"-னு சொல்லுவா திருனெல்வேலி பக்கம்...:)

    மஞ்சு அக்கா, போஸ்ட் போட்டா கலகலப்பா கமண்ட் எல்லாம் வரனும், சும்மா உப்பு சப்பில்லாத கமண்ட் மாதிரி இருக்ககூடாது. இனிமே தக்காளி பாக்கும்போது தக்குடு சொன்னதும் உங்களுக்கு ஞாபகம் வரும் இல்லையா??..:)

    என்றும் வம்புடன்,
    'சூது வாது தெரியாத'தக்குடு

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