Recipe for easy Tomato Rice with Coconut Milk made in pressure cooker. South Indian Tomato rice recipe made Tamilnadu style. With step by step pictures.
I have a question for you today. A question on tomato. Ready? Here you go. Why Did The Tomato blush today morning when I was making breakfast? Do you know? I just figured that he was blushing because he saw the salad dressing. woot! woot! Now, lets move on to lunch. I am not telling what happened during lunch. hushhhh!!!!! We are making tomato rice today. This recipe is a lunch box favorite. The addition of coconut milk keeps the rice moist and tasty. We also call this as Tomato pulav. Here is how I do Tamilnadu style Tomato rice.
We will be using Basmati rice for this recipe today. Wash the rice 2-3 times in running water. Soak the rice in water and set aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add in the spices. Fry for 10 seconds. Add in the chopped onions and the sliced green chillies. Add more green chillies if you want it spicy. Fry for a minute.
In the mean time, crush some garlic in a mortar and pestle. You do NOT want to puree the garlic. We need the garlic in bits. So NO garlic paste please! If you do not have a mortar and pestle, just run the garlic in a small mixie jar (pulse several times) without adding any water. You can even chop the garlic cloves finely and add it to the pan if nothing else works for you! Add in the crushed garlic and fry for a couple of minutes.
Puree the tomatoes in a blender / mixie and add it to the pan. Add in the salt, chilli powder and turmeric. Fry for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked and dry.
When the tomatoes are cooking, we will make some coconut milk. Take the coconut meat from half a coconut and run it in a blender with 2 cups of water and make a very fine paste. Strain the coconut milk and set aside. Add in the coconut milk to the pan. I measured the coconut milk while adding and I had about 2 cups. For every cup of rice, we need 2 cups of liquid. I have used 1.5 cups of rice today. So we will need 3 cups of liquid. I have already added 2 cups of coconut milk. So I will need one more cup of water. Add in one cup of water and let it all come to a boil.
Note: For a very fluffy rice, add 1 Rice : 1.5 Water/liquid.
In the mean time, drain the soaked rice and set aside. Once the liquid in the pan comes to a roaring boil, add in the rice. Mix well and close the lid and put the whistle weight on. Cook for 5 minutes on medium flame or for 2 whistles. Exactly 2 whistles. Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure in the cooker to release naturally. Once the pressure has released, open the lid and gently fluff up the rice.
Serve hot.
- 1.5 cups Basmati rice
- 2 cups coconut milk from Half a coconut
- 2 cardamom pods
- 2 cloves
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 Onions, chopped
- 4 green chillies, slit
- 6 cloves garlic
- 4 very ripe tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- Heat oil in a pan and add in the spices. Fry for 10 seconds. Add in the chopped onions and the sliced green chillies. Fry for a minute.
- Add in the crushed garlic and fry for a couple of minutes.
- Puree the tomatoes in a blender / mixie and add it to the pan. Add in the salt, chilli powder and turmeric. Fry for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked and dry.
- Take the coconut meat from half a coconut and run it in a blender with 2 cups of water and make a very fine paste. Strain the coconut milk and set aside. Add in the coconut milk to the pan. I measured the coconut milk while adding and I had about 2 cups. For every cup of rice, we need 2 cups of liquid. I have used 1.5 cups of rice today. So we will need 3 cups of liquid. I have already added 2 cups of coconut milk. So I will need one more cup of water. Add in one cup of water and let it all come to a boil.
- In the mean time, drain the soaked rice and set aside. Once the liquid in the pan comes to a roaring boil, add in the rice. Mix well and close the lid and put the whistle weight on. Cook for 5 minutes on medium flame or for 2 whistles. Exactly 2 whistles. Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure in the cooker to release naturally. Once the pressure has released, open the lid and gently fluff up the rice.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
If you would like a really dry rice, use 1.5 cups of liquid for every cup of rice.
Can i use jeeraga samba rice ..If I can then tell me d water measurement
Amazing recipe. Very flavorful and satisfying. Everyone at home loved it. Love your blog, Keep up the great work.
Thank you. Glad you liked it!
Hi mam.
I tried this recipe. It came very well. Everyone liked it.. I use a steel cooker. But whenever I try this the rice gets burnt a little at the bottom of the cooker. Can you please tell me how to avoid this?
What is the size of the cooker? Bigger size cooker easily burn.
2 liters.
Yesterday I tried it in aluminum cooker. And it came perfect 👌. Thanks for the worderful recipe. It’s very easy to cook as well. Also your blog helps the one who is learning cooking.
Thank you so much Darshini! Glad you liked it!
Wow mam the Tomato rice was awesome . Has shared ur recipe with my friends too ..
Thanks so much. really happy that you liked it!
Mouthwatering recipe!!! One question Suguna, I live in a country where fresh coconuts are hard to come by and so I’ve to resort to desiccated coconut. Is there any chance I could do coconut milk from that to use in this recipe?
Thanks so much,
Sheerja
You may use canned coconut milk and it works just fine.
Thank you! I usually use canned coconut milk to make kurmas. But they tend to be more on the expensive side so I’m trying to find alternatives. But is it possible to make coconut milk out of desiccated coconut? I’ve tried adding water and grinding them in the mixie but somehow the consistency is not smooth. Any suggestions?
Sheerja
You may try making at home https://www.kannammacooks.com/homemade-coconut-milk/
Awesome recipe thank you
Can we have recipe for chettinad veg kurma
Thanks
Thanks Lalitha. There are a lot of kurma recipes on the blog. Do check.
I think this is what heaven tastes like! Thank you for such an amazing recipe. Xx
Thank you!
Very beautifully explained
Thank you!
Hi Suguna
Can you please post some salad recipes
Made it 2 days in a row Saturday and Sunday as everyone loved it. It satisfied my picky eaters .. my kids. I added mint also . Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Thank you so much!
Will make it today. Thank you for posting the awesome recipes. I frequently use your site for inspiration and new recipes.. haa.. the salad dressing joke..😂 Funny. I think it is always a pleasure to read your recipes as there is always. Stories or something in addition to the recipe. Keep up the good work!!
Thank you so much Rupa. Happy cooking!
Made this recipe, tasted awesome! Thank you for sharing such authentic recipes!
Thank you! Glad you liked it. Happy Cooking!
have tried several tomato rice recipes, the first one comes out very well. your blog is awesome and saving my life in abroad. Thank you, madam.
Thank you so much.
Hi,can I substitute the coconut milk using the coconut milk powder?
Sure. You can try. Dilute with water and substitute.
Tomato rice cooked in coconut milk is the first time I have ever heard. I had the confident to try , as previous attempts on other recipes never failed me. It was lip smacking! I just loved it!
Thanks!
Thank you so much!
Hi Suguna,
Thanks for your amazing recipes. Your pulikuzhambu is a hit recipe in our family,. For the tomato rice, can we use store bought coconut milk (if yes, should I use light or thick coconut milk?) I live in Canada, buying a coconut is not an option for me.
Thank you so much Nithya. If using canned coconut milk (which is very thick), use one cup of canned milk mixed with one cup of water for this recipe.
Hi akka,
Awesome looking recipe!!!! lip smacking!! don’t you think it’ll spoil if we carry it for lunch for we are using coconut?
Steffi
Yeah. It doesnt travel well.
I tried this recipe (along with the sweet and sour fish) and it turned out well. Thanks for posting detailed recipes along with the pictures. I find the pics rather helpful!
Thank you!
Tried this for lunchbox. Excellent Very easy to prepare too.Thanks
Thank You!
LOL! I initially did not get the joke about the “salad dressing” – too slow! But lovely looking dish you have right there. I think I can eat that tomato rice without any viand after cooking it with my pressure cooker.
Hello Suguna!
That was an awesome meal for yesterday. I love your choice of recipes. Keep on posting.
Thanks!
Thank you! Happy Cooking Vaishali!
Made for hubbys lunch box today. Yum Yum..
Thank You Sunitha!