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Tomato Rice Recipe (South Indian Thakkali Sadam)
4.8 from 90 votes

Tomato Rice Recipe (South Indian Thakkali Sadam)

Tomato Rice, or Thakkali Sadam, combines basmati or regular rice with a blend of aromatic South Indian spices, fresh tomatoes, onions, and herbs like mint and coriander. The rice is soaked, then cooked with sautéed spices including mustard seeds, fenugreek, and whole spices for a balanced depth of flavor. The dish offers a savory, mildly spiced profile with a slightly tangy tomato base and fresh herb finish. This recipe suits those looking for a flavorful, one-pot rice dish with a traditional South Indian spin, ideal for lunch or dinner.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 3
Calories: 121 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For soaking rice
  • 1 heaped cup basmati rice or any regular rice
  • water as required
More ingredients
  • 1 cup tomato tightly packed) or 3 medium to large tomatoes or 200 grams, finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup onion or 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
  • 1.5 teaspoons ginger garlic paste or 1 inch ginger + 5 to 6 small to medium garlic crushed in mortar-pestle
  • ½ teaspoon green chili peppers or serrano pepper or 1 green chilli, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 4 to 5 fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) - optional
  • ½ inch true cinnamon
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 2 to 3 cloves
  • 6 to 7 curry leaves (medium-sized)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper or crushed black pepper, powder
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin)
  • ½ tablespoon mint leaves chopped
  • ¼ cup Coriander leaves cilantro, chopped
  • 1.5 to 1.75 cups water or add as required
  • 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil any neutral oil, generic cooking oil
  • salt as required

Instructions

Preparation
    Cup of Yum
  1. Rinse basmati rice or any regular rice for a couple of times in water.
  2. Then soak the rice in water for 20 to 30 minutes. Later drain the rice and keep aside.
  3. Chop the tomatoes, onions and green chillies finely. Peel and crush the ginger-garlic in a mortar pestle. Also, chop the mint and coriander leaves
  4. Keep aside all the spices required for the rice.
Sautéing onions, tomatoes, spices
  1. In a 3 litre pressure cooker, heat the oil. Keep the flame to a low and add mustard seeds and crackle them. Then add fenugreek seeds and just lightly fry for a couple of seconds without burning them.
  2. Then add finely chopped onions and cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.
  3. Stir and sauté until the onions turn translucent and soften.
  4. Add the ginger-garlic paste, chopped green chilies and curry leaves.
  5. Stir and sauté for some seconds until the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away
  6. Now add chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves.
  7. Stir and saute for a minute.
  8. Keep heat to a low or switch off the heat. Add the finely chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder, red chilli powder, black pepper powder or crushed black pepper, coriander powder and cumin powder.
  9. Mix very well and sauté the tomatoes until they soften and become pulpy with oil releasing from the sides.
Cooking tomato rice
  1. Add the soaked rice. Gently mix the rice with the tomato mixture very well. Sauté for a minute.
  2. Add 1.75 cups water. For a more softer consistency in the rice, you can also add 2 cups water.
  3. Season with salt as per taste.
  4. Cover and pressure cook tomato rice for 2 whistles on medium flame or about 10 to 11 minutes. To get a softer rice, you can also pressure cook for 3 whistles.
  5. When the pressure settles down on its own. Then remove the lid and gently fluff the tomato rice.
  6. Serve tomato rice with appalams or chips or with a side raita.

Notes

  • Leftover cooked rice can be mixed with the tomato masala instead of using raw rice; about 3½ to 4 cups cooked rice works well.
  • Canned chopped tomatoes can substitute fresh tomatoes in equal quantity for convenience.
  • Adjust the ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, and black pepper to reduce heat and pungency to taste.
  • The amount of water needed depends on the rice quality; add from 1½ to 2 cups for softness or separate grains respectively.
  • When cooking in a pan, start with 2 cups water, then add more if rice looks dry halfway through.
  • For Instant Pot cooking, sauté first, then pressure cook on high for 6-8 minutes with natural release for about 10 minutes.

Nutrition Information

Calories 121kcal (6%) Carbohydrates 7g (2%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 26mg (1%) Potassium 171mg (4%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 714IU (14%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 23mg Vitamin B6 1mg Vitamin C 49mg (54%) Vitamin E 4mg Vitamin K 9µg Calcium 33mg (3%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 246µg Iron 1mg (6%) Magnesium 19mg (5%) Phosphorus 25mg Zinc 1mg

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 3 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 121

% Daily Value*

Calories 121kcal 6%
Carbohydrates 7g 2%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 26mg 1%
Potassium 171mg 4%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 714IU 14%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 23mg
Vitamin B6 1mg
Vitamin C 49mg 54%
Vitamin E 4mg
Vitamin K 9µg
Calcium 33mg 3%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 246µg
Iron 1mg 6%
Magnesium 19mg 5%
Phosphorus 25mg
Zinc 1mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.