Tomato Rice also known as thakkali sadam recipe is a popular South Indian lunch menu like my tomato biryani and can be made easily with leftover rice, onions, garlic, tomatoes and a bunch of spices. In this recipe I have shared how to make tomato rice from scratch and instant tomato rice mix or paste which can be stored in fridge for few days. Learn how to make the best tomato rice recipe with step by step pictures and video.
Tomato Rice | Thakkali Sadam
Tomato rice is my all time favourite. This is my mom's version. This tomato rice is so easy to make and it makes a great dish to put in lunch box. You just need a simple onion raita to serve with it. When we were little mom used to make this and put a boiled egg or or this potato roast or papad with this.
Table of Contents
About Tomato Rice
Tomato rice is a simple rice dish which is popular in South India. Tomato rice is also known as thakkali sadam or thakkali sadham. It is made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, whole spices and spice powders which are cooked together till it gets thick like a paste or masala. Later cooked rice is tossed in the masala to make tomato rice. I have another version of similar recipe in which rice is added in raw to the masala and cooked together like a one pot dish, it is my Tomato Biryani.
Tomato rice is a popular dish like other variety rice recipes like tamarind rice, lemon rice, coconut rice and curd rice. The recipe for making tomato rice is simple which makes it a great lunch box option for kids and adults.
You can even make the masala which is also known as tomato rice mix in bulk and store in fridge for few weeks. Whenever you want tomato rice, just mix cooke rice with the paste and tomato rice is ready in minutes. You can make tomato rice mix or paste in bulk which can be stored in fridge for couple of weeks.
Similar Recipes
Citron Rice
Peanut Rice
Brinjal Rice
Gooseberry Rice
Watch Tomato Rice Video
Tomato Rice Ingredients
Rice - I used regular ponni rice, but basmati rice can be used. In fact you can use leftover cold rice which is perfect for making tomato rice.
Onion - Sliced onions and tomatoes are the base for tomato rice. You can add shallots instead of onions for sweeter taste.
Tomato - Use fresh tomatoes which provides the tart taste the dish needs. You have to use ripe red tomatoes which helps with the colour. Also it adds the thickness to the masala.
Garlic - Even though this is optional, I like to use whole peeled garlic in tomato rice which adds taste and texture to the rice.
Whole Spices - fennel seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf and cloves adds a subtle aroma to the tomato rice.
Spice Powders - I used kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala powder and turmeric.
Variations
Added Peas - for some colour you can use fresh or frozen green peas along with the masala which adds a pop of colour.
Vegetables - you can use chopped carrots, green peas or capsicum when making tomato rice.
Cooking Rice with Masala - You can check my tomato biryani recipe for a variation in this recipe. I have another version of similar recipe in which rice is added in raw to the masala and cooked together like a one pot dish, it is my Tomato Biryani.
Tweaking Recipes - you can tweak the recipe a little. You can add ginger garlic paste when sauteing onions. You can add tomato puree and extra tomatoes for tangy taste.
How to Make Tomato Rice (Stepwise Pictures)
Slicing Tomatoes
1)You have to use ripe red tomatoes for making tomato rice. Use fresh tomatoes which provides the tart taste the dish needs. You have to use ripe red tomatoes which helps with the colour. Also it adds the thickness to the masala.
Temper Spices
2)Heat oil in a kadai. Add in whole spices like fennel, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf. Let the whole spices sizzle in the oil for 2 minutes.
3)Add in whole peeled garlic cloves which adds aroma and taste to the dish.
4)Saute the garlic in oil for 2 minutes till the raw smell leaves and the garlic gets golden in colour.
Making Tomato Rice Masala
5)Add in sliced onions, slit green chillies, curry leaves into the hot oil.
6)Sprinkle some sugar over the onions which is totally optional. but adding a pinch of sugar to the onions helps the onions gets golden and caramelized.
7)Add salt to the onions so the onions cooks faster.
8)Saute the onions with salt and a pinch of sugar. You will see the onions will start to leave some water and gets soft in texture.
9)Now the onions has cooked down and looking soft.
10)Now add in the spice powders. I am using crushed chillies. but you can use kashmiri chilli powder for the bright red colour. I also added some turmeric and garam masala powder.
11)Saute the spices into the onions for few seconds so the flavour of the spices brightens.
12)Add in thinly sliced tomatoes. Slicing the tomatoes thin will make sure it cooks faster and break down faster.
13)Mix the tomatoes into the onions. As the tomatoes cooks on low heat it will start to break down and form the masala.
14)Don't cook on high heat, cook on low heat and if the mixture burns or catches in the bottom. You can add a splash of water to make the cooking process faster.
15)This is how the tomato rice masala should look like. If you are planning to store this tomato rice mix masala longer, you might need to add extra oil and cook even more thick which naturally preserves the masala.
Mixing Rice in Tomato Masala
16)Now add in cooked rice and toss well. You can use leftover rice or cook freshly and add. But make sure the rice is cooled completely.
17)Toss the rice with the masala. If the rice is freshly cooked and cooled, you can mix the rice off the heat. If you are using cold cooked rice, you might need to stir it on heat few minutes to heat the rice.
18)Add coriander leaves and mix well.
19)Now tomato rice is ready.
How to Make & Store Tomato Rice Mix
There are many brand of readymade tomato rice mix available in the market these days. There are powdered tomato rice mix in which you add oil and make a paste before mixing in the rice.
But freshly made tomato rice mix at home is best because it taste so good. This is great for bachelors. You can even make the masala which is also known as tomato rice mix in bulk and store in fridge for few weeks. Whenever you want tomato rice, just mix cooke rice with the paste and tomato rice is ready in minutes. You can make tomato rice mix or paste in bulk which can be stored in fridge for couple of weeks.
Ingredients for Making Thakkali Sadam Recipe Mix
- Oil - ¼ cup
- Whole spices (1 tsp fennel, 1 pice cinnamon, 2 cardamom, 2 cloves, 1 bayleaf)
- Garlic - 10 cloves peeled
- Onion - 1 large sliced thinly
- Tomatoes - 5 sliced thinly
- Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 tblspn
- Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi - 1 tsp
- Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
- Curry Leaves a handful
- Salt to taste
- Sugar - 2 tsp
- Coriander Leaves a handful finely chopped
How to Make Thakkali Sadam Mix
Heat oil in a kadai. Add in whole spices and let them sizzle. Add in garlic and saute till golden. In goes onions and curry leaves. Saute till golden. Season with salt and turmeric powder and mix well.
Add in tomatoes and cook till it turns mushy. Keep cooking them, at a stage the oil will separate from the mix. Add in the spice powders and sugar and mix well. Add in coriander leaves. and cook till the masala is thick.
Once the masala cools completely, you can store it in a clean dry container in fridge upto 2 weeks.
When making tomato rice, take cooked rice in a bowl, add few spoons of the tomato rice mix and toss well. Taste and add more masala if needed.
Expert Tips
- You can use leftover cooked rice for making tomato rice. Or use freshly cooked rice. Make sure you cool the rice completely before mixing in the masala so the rice doesn't gets mushy.
- I use the ratio of 1 large onions to 5 large tomatoes. But you can use 6 tomatoes for 1 sliced onions.
- Kashmiri chilli powder adds bright red colour to the masala.
- Add extra ¼ cup of oil if you are planning to make this masala in bulk and store longer.
- Whole garlic cloves adds flavour, but you can skip that and use ginger garlic paste.
More Lunch Box Recipes
📖 Recipe Card
Tomato Rice Recipe | Thakkali Sadam Recipe
Equipment
- Cooking pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice
For Tempering
- ¼ cup Indian Sesame Oil (Gingelly Oil)
- 1 piece Cinnamon Stick
- 1 tbsp Fennel Seeds
- 2 no Cardamom
- 2 no Cloves
- 1 no Bay Leaf
- 10 cloves Garlic peeled and left whole
For Making Tomato Rice Mix
- 1 large Onion sliced thinly
- 5 large Tomatoes sliced thinly
- 3 no Green Chilli slit
- 2 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- ½ cup Curry Leaves
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 3 tbsp Coriander Leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Start by cooking rice. You can use leftover rice or any rice of your choice. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a kadai. Add in whole spices and let them sizzle. Add in garlic and saute till golden. Add in onions, green chillies and curry leaves, along with salt and sugar. Saute till golden. Now add in the spice powders and mix well.
- Add in tomatoes and cook till it turns mushy. Keep cooking them, at a stage the oil will separate from the mix. Now add in the cooked rice and mix well. Let the rice gets heated through. Finally add in coriander leaves and serve.
Video
Notes
- You can use leftover cooked rice for making tomato rice. Or use freshly cooked rice. Make sure you cool the rice completely before mixing in the masala so the rice doesn't gets mushy.
- I use the ratio of 1 large onions to 5 large tomatoes. But you can use 6 tomatoes for 1 sliced onions.
- Kashmiri chilli powder adds bright red colour to the masala.
- Add extra ¼ cup of oil if you are planning to make this masala in bulk and store longer.
- Whole garlic cloves adds flavour, but you can skip that and use ginger garlic paste.
Nutrition
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
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Sherin Deepu
Dear Aarthi
I really like your step-by-step pictorial. I feel like I have watched you make it. Superb effort that works really well.
Regards
Sherin
Pushpa Narayana
I love ur recipes. Easy to learn n cook
Mary George
Hi...Aarthi .. really liked all u r recipes... Step by step pictorial is so easy to understand.. Thanks for sharing.
Regards;
Mary.
Anonymous
Dear Aarthi,
I would like to know why are you adding sugar in almost every recipes...I am your regular follower.
Love,
Radha
Aarthi
@Anonymousadding sugar in tomato based recipes will make it taste even better.
Roanne Dsouza
Hi Aarthi, I just came across your blog and made this recipe and its come out awesome.. Love the pictures... makes it so easy to understand.
vivian
Dear Aarti,
Thanks for the easy pictorial step by step cooking.....I now can cook Indian food better.....my son saw my improvement. He loves it. You're amazing.
Anonymous
Brilliant
Mona
Hi Arthi, can we cook till tomatoes get mushy in a pressure cooker and then add uncookedrice and pressure cook it? Will the taste vary that way?
kavinraj
I reaaly like the way u r explaining.. I tried podalangai kootu. It came well . I will try this also
Anonymous
Hi Aarthi...I tried this recipe today and it turns out so delicious... Your recipes never fails...keep up the good work... Thanks
Anonymous
Hi Arthi
What is the type of chilli powder you have used in this recipe? It looks different. Is there any particular one?
Aarthi
I ran out of chilli powder that day. So i too dried chillies and blend them in a grinder
Unknown
I converted it to the Instant pot recipe and followed everything else. It was yummy. Thanks