Tomato Pulao

This is a yummy tomato rice recipe that I learnt from my cousin Roopa. She makes this every time we visit as it is my daughter's favorite. My daughter has even named this rice as Roopa Peri mammu :-)

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Basmati rice
• 3 Tomatoes (medium size)
• 1" piece Cinnamon
• 4 Cloves
• 2 Cardamom
• 1 cup thin Coconut milk OR 1 cup Water
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1" piece Ginger
• 2 Green chillies
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1/4 tsp Chilli Powder (Adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• 2 tbsp Oil (I use Olive Oil)
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
• 2 springs Coriander Leaves finely chopped
• 1 spring Mint leaves finely chopped
• 1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 cup Paneer cubes

Method

1. Grind the tomatoes, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, green chillies in a mixer and keep aside.
2. Heat the oil in a cooker and add the asafoetida, cumin seeds and bay leaf. When the cumin seeds start crackling, add the ground tomato mixture, turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder and saute till it starts to leave oil.
3. Wash and drain the rice and add it to the cooker along with the coconut milk/ water and salt and close the cooker and allow it to cook on low heat for 10-15 min or till done.
4. Around 10 min later add the Paneer cubes and the mint leaves and give it a stir. Taste and adjust the salt or spice requirements and close and simmer for 2 more min and switch off.
5. Garnish with Coriander leaves and serve hot or pack it for your picnic as it tastes good even when cold.