By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 2, 2026
Serves 2
215 cal · 35 min
Tomato Rice – South Indian
Recipe GLPRdecf51cbdbd358
A vibrant South Indian rice dish featuring aromatic spices, fresh tomatoes, and cooked rice. Mustard seeds and curry leaves infuse the oil with traditional flavors, while a toasted spice blend of dried chilies, split dals, and coriander seeds adds warmth and depth. This simple yet flavorful side dish is naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
2 Dried red chilies
1½ teaspoon Split chana dal
1 teaspoon Coriander seeds
½ teaspoon Split urad dal
1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
½ cup Onion, chopped
2 Green chilies, finely chopped
5 Curry leaves
1 cup Tomato, pureed
⅛ teaspoon Asafetida (hing)
to taste Salt
2 cup Cooked rice
Directions
In a small dry pan over medium-low heat, combine the dried red chilies, split chana dal, split urad dal, and coriander seeds. Toast these ingredients, stirring frequently, until the dals turn golden-brown and the coriander seeds become fragrant, about 4-5 minutes. Be careful not to burn them, as the flavors can turn bitter. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
Once the toasted spices have cooled, transfer them to a spice grinder or food processor and grind into a fine powder. Set the spice powder aside.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat until it shimmers.
Add the mustard seeds and let them pop and crackle for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the chopped onions, green chilies, and curry leaves to the pan. Stir well and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become light golden-brown.
Add the pureed tomato and salt. Stir to combine well.
Cook the tomato mixture over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture from the tomato has evaporated and you see oil starting to separate and rise around the edges of the pan. This indicates the tomato is cooked through.
Add the asafetida and the prepared spice powder to the pan. Stir thoroughly to combine all flavors.
Add the cooked rice to the pan and mix gently with a fork or wooden spoon, breaking up any clumps, until the rice is evenly coated with the tomato-spice mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes more until heated through.
Serve immediately while warm.
Comments
Tomato rice is an honest weeknight dish that delivers South Indian flavor, but the ingredient list sends you hunting. Chana dal, urad dal, coriander seeds, curry leaves, and asafetida (hing) are staples of Indian cooking that Charlotte's mainstream grocers—Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Walmart, ALDI—do not reliably stock, forcing a trip to a specialty Indian market or an online order. The tomato, onion, rice, oil, and fresh chilies are cheap and available everywhere, keeping the per-serving cost under $2 once you have the spices, but buying those spices new adds $15–$20 upfront. The 35-minute claim is honest for experienced cooks with ingredients on hand; a first-timer should add ten minutes for spice toasting and prep. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave, and the dish is forgiving—it suits anyone comfortable with medium heat and the assertive flavors of South Indian tempering.
Sign in or create a free account to add your review.
