Thakkali Sadam, or tomato rice, is a common lunch box recipe or an item much preferred during an outing or a picnic. It is also a wonderful, quick, and easy recipe to make with leftover rice. Paired with curd rice or yogurt rice, this is one of our favorite lunches or dinners.
The key to tasty tomato rice is keeping it simple. The tomato rice sauce or thokku can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. We can bring this mixture out anytime to mix with rice. Pair the thakkali sadam with appalam (papad) / vadam or potato curry and we have a comfort meal.
There is a joke about the TamBramhs and how we are recognized based on what we carry during our train journeys. Yes, this is one of those kalandha sadam / Mixed rice that comes along with the most sought Puliyodharai / Tamarind rice and lemon rice .
When tomatoes are in season, this thakkali sadam is a wonderful recipe to use some from the backyard. If you are looking to make tomato rice as a one-pot meal, then check out this Instant Pot Tomato Biriyani recipe.
Why This Recipe Works?
Tomato rice or thakkali sadam is an easy and no-fuss recipe made with just the basic pantry ingredients.
The whole recipe takes under 30 minutes and is ideal for a quick weeknight dinner or to make for a lunch box .
The recipe is very adaptable as far as spices go. I have used basic South Indian spices, but you can always substitute or skip certain ingredients and still make a great-tasting tomato rice.
This thakkali sadam is a wonderful recipe to use leftover rice .
Kids are adults love this tomato rice. It is one of my son’s favorite rice dishes to eat.
This tomato rice recipe is vegan and gluten-free .
Ingredients and substitutes
Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipes.
Tomato - Use any kind of red ripe tomatoes. I personally like to use Roma tomatoes as they have lower moisture content, but any kind of tomatoes would work. I also make this with diced canned tomatoes.
Onion - I like to use red onion for this tomato rice recipe, but yellow or sweet onions would work as well.
Rice - I use sona masoori rice to use for any kind of South Indian rice recipes. If I was making this as a Tomato Biriyani , I would use Basmati Rice. Sona masoori rice can be easily found in Indian stores or online.
Green chilies - I like to use green chilies in my thakkali sadam recipe as it adds a lot of flavor. If packing for kid’s lunch boxes, I would suggest that you skip it.
Seasoning - I use mustard seeds, Bengal gram dal/chana dal, urad dal / ullutham paruppu, curry leaves, and asafetida for seasoning. Skip asafetida if gluten free or use certified GF asafetida.
Spice powders - I have used turmeric powder and red chili powder in the tomato rice recipe.
Salt, Sugar, and Oil
Step-by-step process
- Cook the rice and cool it down on a wide plate or bowl. I cook my rice in an Instant Pot. If using sona masoori rice, I use 2 ½ cups of water for one cup of rice and cook it in rice mode.
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the urad dal, channa dal, and cashew nuts.
When they turn golden brown add the chopped onions, green chilies, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Sauté until the onions turn translucent. This takes about 4 to 5 minutes.
Now add the chopped tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar.
Tip - Adding a little sugar to the tomato rice thokku balances the acidity from the tomatoes and adds flavor to the rice.
Cover the pan and cook until the tomatoes are soft. Now open the lid and let the extra moisture evaporate. The tomato thokku or tomato rice paste will thicken in consistency.
To make tomato rice - Add this tomato rice paste to the cooked rice and mix well. Adjust the salt and serve.
Expert Tips
Cook the rice with a little less water than you would to make sure that the rice is separated and not mushy.
I also like to cool down the rice a bit before mixing it with the prepared tomato rice paste.
When packing for lunch box or for travel, make sure to cool down the tomato rice before packing. This prolongs the shelf life of thakkali sadam.
We can make the tomato rice paste ahead of time and refrigerate it. This way we can use it any time we need it.
I like to add a touch of ghee (if not making it vegan) as it adds a nice layer of flavor.
Adding a little sugar when making the tomato rice paste balances the acid.
I like to use Roma tomatoes as it has fewer seeds and liquid. We can almost use any kind of red ripe tomatoes. I also love to make it with diced canned tomatoes.
I used sona masoori when making tomato rice. If making any kind of South Indian mixed rice, I like to use sona masoori rice. For Biriyani, I use Basmati.
There is no hard and fast rule that you cannot add any vegetables to tomato rice. Green peas and carrots can be added when making the tomato rice paste.
I personally do not like to refrigerate rice. In this case, we can make the tomato rice paste and refrigerate it for up to a week. Whenever we want to make rice, we can add this paste to cooked rice and make tomato rice.
More similar rice recipes
- Vangi Bath | Brinjal Rice | Eggplant Rice
- Coconut Rice | Thengai Sadam
- Beetroot Rice | Beetroot Pulao
- Kothamalli Sadam | Cilantro Rice | Coriander Rice
Recipe
Equipment
- ▢ Instant Pot
- ▢ pan
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 cup Rice I use sona masoori rice
- ▢ 1 ½ cups Tomatoes about 4 large - chopped into small cubes
- ▢ 1 cup Onion sliced
- ▢ 3 Green chilies Finely chopped
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Ullatham paruppu / Urad dal/ Black gram dal
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Kadalai paruppu / channa dal / Bengal gram dal Channa dal
- ▢ ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- ▢ ⅛ teaspoon Asafetida
- ▢ 1 Tablespoon Oil
- ▢ to taste Salt
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Sugar
- ▢ few Curry leaves
Instructions
- Cook the rice and cool it down on a wide plate or bowl. I cook my rice in Instant pot.
- Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the urad dal and chana dal.
- When the lentils turn golden brown, add the chopped onions, green chilies, asafetida and curry leaves. Sauté until the onions turns translucent (about 4-5 mins).
- Now add the chopped tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes and adds a nice flavor to the tomato rice.
- Cover the pan and simmer until the tomatoes are cooked (about 8 mins). Now open the lid and let the extra moisture evaporate. The base for the tomato rice (also called the tomato thokku) is ready.
- Add this tomato thokku to the rice and mix well. Adjust the salt and serve with Appalam or vadam.
Video
Notes
- Cook the rice with a little less water than you would to make sure that the rice is separated and not mushy.
- I also like to cool down the rice a bit before mixing it with the prepared tomato rice paste.
- When packing for lunch box or or for travel, make sure to cool down the tomato rice before packing. This prolongs the shelf life of tomato rice.
- We can make the tomato rice paste ahead of time and refrigerate it. This way we can use it any time we need it.
- I like to add a touch ghee (if not making it vegan) as it adds a nice layer of flavor.
- Adding a little sugar when making the tomato rice paste balances the acid.
Nutrition
More Rice Recipes
- Vellam Sadam | Sweet Jaggery Rice
- Rasam Rice | One-Pot Rasam Sadam (Instant Pot Recipe)
- Instant Pot Vegetable Masala Khichdi
- Spicy Schezwan Fried Rice
Thakkali Sadam | Tomato Rice Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice I use sona masoori rice
- 1 ½ cups Tomatoes about 4 large - chopped into small cubes
- 1 cup Onion sliced
- 3 Green chilies Finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon Ullatham paruppu / Urad dal/ Black gram dal
- 1 teaspoon Kadalai paruppu / channa dal / Bengal gram dal Channa dal
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Asafetida
- 1 Tablespoon Oil
- to taste Salt
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- few Curry leaves
Instructions
- Cook the rice and cool it down on a wide plate or bowl. I cook my rice in Instant pot.
- Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the urad dal and chana dal.
- When the lentils turn golden brown, add the chopped onions, green chilies, asafetida and curry leaves. Sauté until the onions turns translucent (about 4-5 mins).
- Now add the chopped tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes and adds a nice flavor to the tomato rice.
- Cover the pan and simmer until the tomatoes are cooked (about 8 mins). Now open the lid and let the extra moisture evaporate. The base for the tomato rice (also called the tomato thokku) is ready.
- Add this tomato thokku to the rice and mix well. Adjust the salt and serve with Appalam or vadam.
Video
Notes
- Cook the rice with a little less water than you would to make sure that the rice is separated and not mushy.
- I also like to cool down the rice a bit before mixing it with the prepared tomato rice paste.
- When packing for lunch box or or for travel, make sure to cool down the tomato rice before packing. This prolongs the shelf life of tomato rice.
- We can make the tomato rice paste ahead of time and refrigerate it. This way we can use it any time we need it.
- I like to add a touch ghee (if not making it vegan) as it adds a nice layer of flavor.
- Adding a little sugar when making the tomato rice paste balances the acid.
