Robust tomato flavor is key to tomato rice, a popular southern Indian dish typically prepared when there is an abundance of ripe, red tomatoes and leftover basmati rice. It’s a versatile but intensely savory dish that can be eaten as a light meal with a dollop of yogurt or paired with seafood, poultry or even a simple fried egg.
In this recipe from our cookbook “Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,” we use a combination of cherry or grape tomatoes and tomato paste to impart deep tomato flavor. Cherry tomatoes are reliably sweet year-round, but this dish is extra special when made with in-season tomatoes.
We were inspired by Madhur Jaffrey’s tomato rice recipe in “Vegetarian India,” though we upped the intensity of the spices along with the tomato flavor. We use brown or black mustard seeds for their pungency, and sizzle them with an aromatic mixture of cumin, coriander, garlic and ginger until the seeds pop and the mixture is fragrant.
With so few components in the dish, it’s important to cook the rice properly. It should be fluffy and tender, with each grain separated. Be sure to rinse and drain the rice well to wash away excess starch, and don’t skip the soaking step. This traditional approach gives the rice time to expand gently and cook up tender and separate, and is especially important when cooking with acidic tomato paste.