A South Indian tomato rice recipe called Thakkali sadam is a side dish made with tomatoes and (leftover) rice. Do try this vegan fried rice recipe today!
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Thakkali sadam
Thakkali means tomato and sadam means rice in Tamil. I am delighted to be sharing this family favorite recipe with you today. I have had this as a child and relished it every time my dad made it.
This is a South Indian-style tomato rice recipe that's packed with flavors. Tomatoes give this rice a tangy flavor that makes it unique and delicious.
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It's my dad's recipe
I was fortunate to grow up in a household where my parents shared responsibilities and roles were not defined by gender. This including cooking.
Mom had her set of recipes that we loved and Dad had his set of recipes that he would make for us. My brother and I enjoyed both their cooking as it was very different.
Some signature dishes that dad made were Tomato Omelet, Thakkali Sadam, French Toast, Beans Poriyal, and Garlic Rasam. I want to document all of his recipes here.
Why make it
This vegan dish can also be called Tomato Pulav or Tomato Fried Rice. If you are looking for a simple home-cooked vegetarian or vegan meal, then you must make this dish.
- It's naturally vegan and can be made gluten-free by skipping asafoetida
- Needs basic pantry essentials
- It's a leftover rice recipe
- Is a one-pot meal
- It's a delicious flavored rice recipe
Ingredients needed
Rice - There are many ways to make tomato rice. You can either use leftover rice, cook rice fresh or cook the rice with all the other ingredients together.
Regarding the variety of rice, Basmati rice works great here. It helps if the grains are long and separate. However, you can use any variety of rice or brown rice.
Tomatoes - After rice, they are the main ingredients in this rice recipe. They should be juicy, ripe, firm, but not too firm, some give is good.
They should not have any blemishes or dark spots. You can also use cherry red tomatoes, canned tomatoes, or tomato puree.
Other veggies - Onions, and green peas are used in this recipe. Feel free to add more veggies of your choice.
Herbs and spices - mustard seeds, ginger, green chilies, paprika, asafoetida, turmeric powder, cilantro, and curry leaves.
Lentils and nuts - urad dal, chana dal, and cashews are needed. They add a nice crunch to the rice dish. You can also add peanuts.
Here's how to make it
You need to cook the rice ahead of time and cool it down completely. Leftover rice can also be used in this tomato rice recipe.
- Heat oil or vegan ghee in a pan and temper mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add asafoetida, chana dal, urad dal and cashews. Fry till the lentils and cashews turn light golden.
- Then add the minced green chillies, grated ginger, and curry leaves. Also add half the cilantro and chopped onions. Saute till the onions turn translucent.
- Now add the tomatoes, green peas and salt. Mix and continue to cook till the tomatoes turn soft and pulpy.
- Then add turmeric powder, paprika, and salt. Saute for 30 seconds.
- Then add the cooked rice. Mix it all together and cook for a minute or two. Adjust salt as needed.
- Lastly garnish it with the remaining cilantro. Mix and take it off the flame. Do not over mix and break the grains.
Serving suggestions
Serve tomato rice warm along with some raita or plain yogurt along with some roasted papad or potato chips. Some even like to sprinkle some sev on top.
We also serve this Indian vegan fried rice with Potato curry. This combo tastes amazing.
Tomato rice can be packed in lunch boxes, served for breakfast, or as an evening snack. It can also be served as a side dish for brunch or as a weekend meal.
Top tips, recommendations, and suggestions
For more flavor, you can also add sambhar powder or curry powder along with the other spice mixes. Peanuts can also be added. If allergic to nuts, skip adding cashews.
Garnish with mint leaves. It will give the rice an extra aroma. Mix in some cooked lentils to make the dish more hearty and nourishing. Add 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds along with mustard seeds for a sweet aromatic flavor.
Leftover rice works great for this recipe. If cooking rice fresh, cook it ahead of time and cool it down completely. Any variety of rice can be used. Brown rice can also be used.
If looking for low-carb options, swap rice with alternate grains like quinoa or cauliflower rice. Feel free to add more veggies and greens to this recipe.
Leftover Indian vegan fried rice can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days. It also freezes well.
Make it in the Instant Pot
You can totally make this rice dish in the Instant Pot. Rinse and soak rice for 15 minutes prior to cooking. Then in sauté mode, add all the ingredients and follow the steps till 4.
Add the soaked rice and cook it in rice mode for 4 minutes (similar to Jeera Rice). Release pressure manually and then fluff the rice with a fork.
More rice recipes
If you love cooking with rice, check out these interesting recipes (most of them are also vegan) that you can make in the comfort of your homes.
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Tomato Rice Recipe | Thakkali Sadam
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegan ghee or any vegetable oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tbsp chana dal
- 1 tbsp urad dal
- 2 tbsp cashews
- 4-5 green chillies
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 4-5 curry leaves
- 1/3 cup cilantro
- 1 onion
- 3 tomatoes
- 1/4 cup green peas
- Salt
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp paprika or chily powder
- 2.5 cups cooked rice
Instructions
- You need to cook the rice ahead of time and cool it down completely. Leftover rice can also be used in this tomato rice recipe.
- Heat oil or vegan ghee in a pan and temper mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add asafoetida, chana dal, urad dal and cashews. Fry till the lentils and cashews turn light golden.
- Then add the minced green chillies, grated ginger, and curry leaves.
- Also add half the cilantro and chopped onions. Saute till the onions turn translucent.
- Now add the tomatoes, green peas and salt. Mix and continue to cook till the tomatoes turn soft and pulpy.
- Then add turmeric powder, paprika, and salt. Saute for 30 seconds.
- Then add the cooked rice. Mix it all together and cook for a minute or two. Adjust salt as needed.
- Lastly garnish it with the remaining cilantro. Mix and take it off the flame. Do not over mix and break the grains.
- Serve with papad, Indian pickle or raita.
Notes
Nutrition
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Can we skip onion in this recipe.
Thanks
yes you can.
Can you clarify whether or not the chana dal and the urad dal need to be precooked? I have dried beans and I’m thinking that frying them won’t cook them. Thank you!
Chana dal and urad need not be cooked before. Just saute them in oil. If you want you can just soak chana dal in water for 15 mins and then use. But urad dal can be added uncooked. Also, these are not beans, they are lentils. Just clarifying so that there is no confusion. Hope this was helpful.