TOMATO RICE

"Love is a tomato. And while it's true that I can live without a tomato, I could sure go for some ketchup." — Jarod Kintz (This Book is Not for Sale)

As a child I was never much of a rice eater though I grew up in Andhra Pradesh, a state with wonderful people known for many things (one of which does not include their roti making ability). But by the time I started cooking I was in Bombay and dinner was something I put together after a whole day of corporate law and the effort of rolling out a roti seemed like too much. Not that I didn't try. I did. My flatmate still falls over laughing when we reminisce about my struggle to roll the dough into a shape vaguely circular. After a while we stopped trying and any guests to our apartment knew to expect rice. When we got bored of plain, steamed rice we started pairing the rice with vegetables and meats and realized how easy life could be. We never used that belan again. Seeing this recipe in Good Food magazine made me so nostalgic I had to try it.

What you’ll need:

1 cup rice

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion (thinly sliced)
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tbsp cumin (jeera)
1-3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
½ cup peas
1 cup chopped tomato
¼ cup tomato puree
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped coriander to garnish

How to:

1. Soak rice in cold water for at least 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. In a heavy bottom pan, heat vegetable oil and add onion, garlic, cinnamon, cloves and cumin. Stir till onions start to colour.

3. When your onions have softened and turned golden add tomatoes, tomato puree and rice. Stir for a few minutes.

4. Add just about 2 cups of boiling water, salt and pepper. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the flame and cover the pan. Add peas. Let cook for about 10 minutes.

5. Check if the rice is done – if not let it simmer some more till completely cooked. 

 

6. Serve with chopped coriander on top.