Summer is tomatoes and tomatoes are summer. This rice dish, which takes about 25 mins, is summer in a bowl. If you cook the rice with some care (which I will tell you how to do) and love tomatoes, this is summer on a plate. Tomato rice in India is a very popular South Indian dish and my tadka takes some inspiration from that. Tadka/chhonk/phutana is the technique of blooming whole spices in oil or ghee. You then top your dish, be it rice, dal, or vegetables with the tadka - it opens up the flavors and permeates the whole dish.

Like any dish that’s this simple, technique matters. Short grain rice like Jasmine, sushi, or regular not-fancy rice is best for this dish. The rice to water ratio for these varieties is 1 rice to 1.5 water. Once you’re done cooking the rice, the other important step is to leave it covered for 10 mins or so; the residual steam will finish cooking the rice and separate the grains.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 tsp oil

• 2 cloves garlic, sliced and divided

• 1/2 cup sliced onions

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 plum tomatoes, diced

• 1/4 tsp turmeric

• 2/3 cup Jasmine rice

• 1 cup water

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tbsp ghee (or butter)

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

• 12-14 grape/cherry/small tomatoes, halved

Method

Make the rice. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and 1 sliced garlic clove and cook until onions are translucent about 5-7 mins. Next, add the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 mins. Now add the diced tomatoes and a pinch of salt and cook another 5 mins or until the tomatoes begin to get mushy. Add in your rice, turmeric, and toss well until all ingredients are combined. Add the cup of water, lower the heat a bit to medium, and cook covered for 15 mins. Then turn off the heat and let the rice sit for 10 mins covered.

Before serving, fluff the rice with a fork and plate.

While the rice is resting, make the tadka. Heat a small pan on medium-high heat and add the ghee. Once melted, add the mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter about 15-30 seconds. Add the sliced garlic and brown, flipping the slices to brown both sides, about 1 min. Lastly, add in the small tomato halves and toss in the ghee for 1-2 mins.

Distribute the tadka over the rice evenly. Garnish with cilantro and a little salt (if needed) and serve!