Thakali sadham / Tomato rice

This is a simple lunch box recipe and my all time favorite. The lovely colour of this dish flashes in my mind whenever i think of having something tasty.... Yummy rice recipe doesn't need any side dishes. Can be served with rice wafers or any pickle or raitha.

Ingredients:

1. Cooking oil - 3 tbs

2. Sesame oil / Gingelly oil - 3 tbs

3. Mustard seeds + urad daal (white lentil) - 1/2 tbs

4. Splited chick peas / Kadalai paruppu - 1 tbs

5. Turmeric powder - pinch

6. Green chili - splited vertically - 3 or 4 nos

7. Big brown onion - 3/4 finely chopped

8. Tomato - 3 nos

9. Salt to taste

10. Rice - Sona masoori / basmati - 1 1/2 cups

11. Mint + Cilantro - 1/2 handful (washed and chopped)

Method :

1. Wash & cook the rice in 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker / rice cooker.

2. In the meantime, Soak the whole tomato in hot water for 15 mins. Peel off the skin and mash thoroughly with hand. Keep this aside.

3. Heat cooking + sesame oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds + urad daal + chick peas. Once mustard seeds splatters add green chili and turmeric powder. After 30 sec add chopped onion & cook till it turns transparent. Add the mashed tomato and stir to blend with onion. Add 1/2 cup if water and salt to this and cook till it comes to a gravy consistency. Remove from fire.

4. By this time the rice could be cooked. Trasfer the rice to another container which should be big enough for mixing. Let the rice to cool down for 10 mins. Now add the tomato gravy to the rice and mix slowly & completely. Garnish with chopped mint & cilantro. Serve hot.....