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    Recipe Index » Rice » Tomato Rice Recipe (Thakkali Sadam)

    Tomato Rice Recipe (Thakkali Sadam)

    Published: Jul 12, 2013 · Last Modified: Jun 30, 2019 by Kanan Patel / 78 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    Here is the BEST and easiest tomato rice recipe you can find! This is a popular South Indian style rice preparation that tastes super delicious, spicy and tangy. This tomato rice in Tamil language is called ‘Thakkali Sadam’.

    I am sharing two methods: (1) In a pan which uses the cooked rice. (2) In an Instant pot (or pressure cooker) where raw rice is used. Both tastes extremely delicious, choose the one as per your preference.

    Thakkali sadam recipe

    Thakkali Sadam Recipe

    To keep this thakkali sadam authentic, I have made freshly ground masala (spice powder). It gives a fresh and unique flavor to the dish. If you are making this tomato rice very often on a regular basis then I would highly suggest making this masala in a big batch and store in a small airtight container. This way rice will be ready in a jiffy.

    • One of the readers has tried substituting the freshly ground masala with ready-made madras curry powder. She says rice came out very good. You can see in the comment below. I think this is the clever idea for a quick turn around.
    • You can use bisi bele bath powder instead and I bet it tastes really good.

    This tomato rice (the one made on the stove top in a pan) is adapted from “Dakshin: Vegetarian Cuisine from South India” cookbook. I have also tried tamarind rice from this book and I totally loved it. A must-have book, if you love south Indian food.

    South Indian Tomato Rice Recipe

    Preparation for making thakkali sadam:

    1. Cook the rice beforehand or use the leftover rice. I have used basmati rice here and followed my foolproof method ‘how to cook basmati rice’.
    2. To make spice powder, take chana dal, urad dal, coriander seeds and dried red chilies in a pan. Turn the heat on medium-low.
      chana dal, urad dal, coriander seeds and red chilies in a pan
    3. Dry roast with stirring continuously till dals are light brown in color and you will get nice aroma from coriander seeds.  Make sure to dry roast on proper heat; if dal stays raw then it won’t taste good at all.
      roasted dal and spices mixture to make spice powder
    4. Let the mixture cool down completely. 
    5. Meanwhile chop onions, chilies and make a puree of tomatoes. 
    6. Once cooled, grind the dal-spice mixture into a fine powder using a spice grinder or coffee grinder.
      freshly ground masala for south indian tomato rice

    How to make Tomato Rice? 

    1) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
    tempering mustard seeds in the oil

    2) Then add chopped onions, green chilies, and curry leaves. Sprinkle some salt to speed up the process.
    adding onions, curry leaves, green chilies into the oil

    3) Cook till onion becomes light brown and soft.
    light brown cooked onions

    4) Add pureed tomato and remaining salt. Mix well.
    Adding tomato puree to the onion mixture

    5) Cook till all the moisture from tomato evaporates and becomes a thick paste.
    pureed tomatoes are cooked for tomato rice recipe

    6) Add prepared spice powder.
    adding freshly ground masala to the tomato mixture

    7) Mix well and cook for few seconds.
    freshly ground masala mixed with cooked tomatoes

    8) Add cooked rice.
    adding cooked rice to the tomato mixture

    9) Mix gently till incorporated well and cook till the rice gets heated through.
    Tomato Rice in a plate

    Serving Ideas:

    • Serve tomato rice plain or with yogurt or raita (boondi raita, tadka raita). For some crunch, have some papadum or chips on the side.
    • This is the perfect rice dish to pack into an adult’s or kids’ lunchbox. Also, pack yogurt or raita in a separate container to go with it. If making for kids then adjust or skip the chilies.
    Tomato Rice Recipe (Thakkali Sadam)

    NOTE: ingredients amount and method are different for stove top & instant pot cooking. In the recipe card, I have mentioned for stovetop version only. For IP version, see below.

    Ingredients for Instant pot tomato rice:

    • 1 cup Basmati rice
    • 2 tablespoons Oil
    • ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
    • 1 teaspoon Urad dal (split, skinless)
    • 1 teaspoon Chana dal (split bengal gram)
    • 1 tablespoon Cashew nuts, chopped, optional
    • 8-10 Curry leaves
    • 1 Green chili, slit
    • 1 cup Onion, sliced
    • 3 medium Tomatoes, Pureed
    • Salt, to taste
    • 1 ½ teaspoons Red chili powder
    • 2 teaspoons Coriander powder
    • ½ teaspoon Garam masala
    • ¼ cup Green peas, optional
    • 1 ¼ cups Water

    How to make Instant Pot Tomato Rice?

    1. Wash the rice under running cold water till water runs clear or rinse 3-4 times till water is not cloudy anymore.
    2. Turn on the instant pot on saute mode and oil. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add chana dal, urad dal, and cashew nuts.
      tempering mustard seeds, dal and cashews
    3. Saute with stirring constantly till dals get light brown color. 
      sauteed dal and cashews till brown
    4. Add curry leaves and green chili.
      adding green chilies and curry leaves
    5. Add onions and mix. Cook till onions become soft and translucent.
      Onions cooked till soft
    6. Then add pureed tomatoes and continue cooking.
      adding and simmering tomato puree
    7. Cook till most of the moisture is evaporated and it becomes thick.
      cooked tomato puree
    8. Add salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala.
      adding spice powders to cooked tomatoes
    9. Mix well and saute for a minute.
      spice powders mixed with cooked tomatoes
    10. Add green peas.
      adding green peas
    11. Add the washed rice.
      Adding rice to tomato, spice mixture
    12. Add water and stir.
      adding water to rice, tomato mixture
    13. Cover the instant pot with the lid, keep the valve to sealing and cook on manual (high pressure) for 5 minutes. Let it NPR for 5 minutes then QPR by positioning the valve to venting. Once pin drops, open the lid. (NOTE: if using traditional stovetop pressure cooker, then use 1 ½ cups of water, and cook for 2 whistles on medium heat.)
      tomato rice cooked in instant pot
    14. Gently fluff up the rice and serve.
      instant pot tomato rice recipe

    Instant pot method is not a traditional one but the improvised version.

    How to make tomato rice in instant pot
    Instant Pot Tomato Rice

    Check out more south Indian rice recipes
    Curd rice // Sambar sadam // Ven pongal // Coconut milk rice // Sweet corn rice

    Step by Step Photos AboveWant to make it perfect first time? Don't forget to check out Step-by-Step photo instructions and helpful Tips & Tricks !!
    Thakkali sadam recipe
    Print Pin

    Tomato rice recipe (Thakkali Sadam)

    4.74 from 19 votes
    Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and/or give ★ ratings
    This popular south Indian style tomato rice recipe is perfect for lunch box. 
    Author: Kanan
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: South Indian
    Calories: 337kcal
    Servings 2 servings
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 20 minutes
    US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml) See details

    Ingredients  

    For freshly ground spice powder:

    • 2 Dried red chilies
    • 1 teaspoon Coriander seeds (sabut dhaniya)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons Chana dal (split bengal gram)
    • ½ gram Urad dal (split, skinless black gram)
    • a pinch Hing (Asafoetida)

    For tomato rice recipe:

    • 2 cups Cooked rice
    • 1 tablespoon Oil
    • ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
    • ½ cup Red onion chopped
    • 8-10 Curry leaves
    • 1 small Green chilies chopped finely
    • 2 medium or 1 cup Tomato pureed
    • Salt to taste

    Instructions 

    First, prepare the spice powder:

    • Take spice powder ingredients except for hing in a small pan.
    • Dry roast on medium heat with stirring continuously till dal is brown and you will get nice aroma from coriander seeds.
    • Let them cool completely. Grind them into a fine powder using a spice grinder.

    Making tomato rice recipe:

    • Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds. Let them pop.
    • Then add chopped onions, green chilies, and curry leaves. Sprinkle some salt to speed up the process.
    • Cook till onion gets light brown.
    • Add pureed tomato and remaining salt. Cook till all the moisture from tomato evaporates and oil starts to leave from the sides.
    • Add prepared spice powder. Mix well and cook for a minute.
    • Add cooked rice. Mix gently till incorporated well.

    Notes

    • Cook the rice beforehand and let it cool down completely before adding and mixing. If rice is hot then the grains will break and become mushy while stirring and mixing.
    • Instead of freshly ground spice powder, you can use readymade madras curry powder or bisi bele bath powder.
    • For instant pot method, see above the recipe card.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 60.4g | Protein: 5.9g | Fat: 7.7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 588mg | Potassium: 333mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 4g
    *Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 serving
    Did you make this recipe?Snap a pic, mention @spice.up.the.curry or tag #spiceupthecurry. I would love to see.
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    Comments

    1. Michelle

      September 15, 2018 at 11:03 pm

      Hi Kanan,

      Could you post more of your versions of recipes from the Dashkin: Vegetarian Cooking of South India book? I also have this book but find your versions easier to follow.

      Thanks!5 stars

      Reply
      • Kanan

        September 17, 2018 at 10:06 am

        sure I will try.

        Reply
    2. Michelle

      September 15, 2018 at 9:50 pm

      This turned out great. What type of rice is usually used?5 stars

      Reply
      • Kanan

        September 17, 2018 at 9:52 am

        good to hear.
        basmati rice or sona masoori rice.

        Reply
    3. Manjula

      April 27, 2018 at 10:44 pm

      Finally, an authentic tomato rice recipe. The web is full of recipes that have ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cardamom and what not....I was rather shocked, because all the tomato rice I have had in traditional South Indian homes, weddings etc. Never had this stuff....this recipe seems more authentic, and of course the tomato rice turned out yummy! Thanks5 stars

      Reply
      • Kanan

        April 30, 2018 at 12:03 pm

        Very happy to know that rice came out good.
        Thank you for the feedback and yes it is an authentic recipe.

        Reply
    4. Dr Sreelekha.l

      April 05, 2017 at 10:47 am

      I tried your tomato rice recipe and came out well. My daughter too loves it and we make it every week. Thanks for the photos and easy steps.5 stars

      Reply
      • Kanan

        April 06, 2017 at 8:27 am

        Glad to know that you both likes this tomato rice.
        Thank you for the feedback

        Reply
    5. Geet

      February 13, 2017 at 8:43 pm

      Hello,
      I tried this recipe with two tweaks: I used chopped tomatoes and used a teaspoon of ginger garlic paste, it turned out fantastic. Thank you very much for this recipe. it will be my go to for tomato rice in future.5 stars

      Reply
      • Kanan

        February 15, 2017 at 9:57 pm

        Glad to know that recipe works for you

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Kanan Patel. I share easy, delicious vegetarian recipes (mostly Indian) and Eggless baking recipes that you can sure count on!

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