HOW TO MAKE TOMATO RICE ALONG SOME INTERESTING FACTS

TOMATO RICE

IMPORTANCE OF RICE

rice is a staple food of millions of people on our planet

It is considered sacred in many cultures and has nourished more people over thousands of years than any other crop

rice farmers from different lands have different customs and rituals and they also have fascinating myths that explain the origin of this amazing life sustaining grain- rice

an old tale from india about rice

explains that when the earth was young, she did not have many wrinkles on her body, mother nature gifts were also different

the tree were taller and denser and stronger

fruits were more juicy and tastier and sweet

flowers were more colorful and fragrant and the atmosphere was overall pleasant

rice was the main food of the people but it was different from the rice, we knew now

in those golden days, each grain of rice was very large – in fact, one single grain was enough to fill a man’s belly

in those days, gods showered lots of love and appreciation to the people so when the rice grains ripened, They fell from their stalks, rolled straight into the granaries where they were stored

one year, when the rice crop was plenty, a farmer decided that the granaries in their village were too small

the villagers pulled down the old granaries, demolished them and started building new ones

as the villagers hurried with the construction, the rice come rolling in from the fields

the farmers were furious because they had nowhere to store the rice grain

‘ couldn’t you wait in the fields till we were ready for you. you shouldn’t be impatient and bother us when we are working so hard’, he shouted at the grain of rice

the grain of rice was filled with sorrow when it heard these harsh words. it immediately broke into thousand pieces

it sadly said,’ from now on, we will not come to you, but wait in the fields until we are wanted’.

from that day onwards, rice has been made up of small grains and the ungrateful people have to work hard to gather it from their fields and store it in their granaries

AND WHAT DO THE HISTORY OF TOMATOES SAY

tomatoes were introduced to india by the portuguese in the early 16th century.

however, they were early initially grown for pure ornamental purposes and for consumption it was only in the 19th century that tomatoes began to be used in the indian cuisine

initially in india , tomatoes were considered to be poisonous.

this was because the stems and the leaves of the tomato plant contain a small amount of toxic alkaloid called tomatine. however, this alkaloid is Destroyed when tomatoes are cooked

over the time, tomatoes have become an essential part of indian cuisine

they are now used in a wide variety of dishes, including curries, chutneys and salads.

tomatoes are also A popular in indian snacks and street food

india is the second largest producer of tomatoes in the world, the main production areas being andhra pradesh, telangana, karnataka and maharashtra

now let’s head straight to our recipe

INGREDIENTS FOR THE RECIPE

1. Tomatoes 2 to 3 nos.

2. red chillies 2 TO 3

3 . garlic cloves 5 to 6

4. bay leaves ( tej patta )

5. black pepper powder 1 teaspoon

6. finely chopped onion 1 no.

7. dry powder – dhania powder, red chilli powder and hald or turmeric, salt and sugar

8. oil and butter

9. finely chopped coriander leaves

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HOW TO MAKE THE TOMATO RICE

firstly make a tomato paste by grinding tomatoes, red chillies and garlic in a mixer

1. take oil and butter in a pan

2. put bay leaf, black pepper powder and saute

3. add in the finely chopped onions and saute well

4. add in the tomato paste and saute well

5. add in the dry powders namely haldi, red chilli powder, dhania / coriander powder, salt and sugar and little coriander leaves and saute nicely

6. close the lid and let it cook on medium to slow flame for 7 to 8 minutes or till the tomato paste has dried and oil leaves the sides

7. now open the lid and when the gravy has become thick, add in the garam masala, remaining coriander leaves and mix well

8. add in the cooked rice and give it a mix so that the tomato curry and rice blends well

9. close the lid and let it cook for another 5 minutes on low flame

yummy tomato rice ready to serve

so that was it friends

hope you find this recipe useful do try it and let me know your feedback

until next time, keep smiling

much love … stay happy … stay blessed… ALWAYS

SMITHA