Tomato and Veg Puloa (Tomato and Mix Veg Pulao) is yet another version on rice that is not only delicious just on its own but is a meal in itself.
When I make vegetable pulaos I am usually in a rush and want something quick, easy, healthy and satisfying. All I need to have is a few ingredients and I can bring it together to make a satisfying meal which I can pair with a raita or a quick veggie salad.
This is very healthy and yummy rice dish with the tangy flavour of tomatoes. When I first attempted this recipe, I was afraid that I would end up with soggy rice because of the tomatoes being a wet ingredient but I was pleasantly surprised at how well the rice turned out.
As the name suggests, this rice dish is based mainly on tomatoes with a few left over vegetables added. You can make this dish on it’s on with just tomatoes which would also taste very nice. I have adopted this recipe from the famous south Indian tomato rice recipe which is based on a lot more spices such as cardoman, cinnamon, cloves etc and tomatoes. I have reduced the number of spices I have added and have kept the recipe to simple ingredients.
Serve this with raita, plain yogurt, chaas, veggie salad or pickle.
Apologies for the quality of photos in this post. It became dark and cloudy just before it rained when I was taking the photos.
Tomato and Veg Puloa (Tomato and Mix Veg Pulao)
Ingredients
200g (approx. 1 ½ cups) long grain or basmati rice
1 large brown onion
2-3 large tomatoes
2-3 green chillies (according to taste)
2 medium carrots
100g (½ cup) soya beans
100g (½ cup) sweet corn
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon asafoetida
250ml (1 cup) water
Salt to taste
Method
- Firstly rinse the rice in cold water until it runs clear of starch. Set aside to soak in 250ml of water while preparing the other ingredients.
Rice soaked in 250ml of water - Coarsely grate the carrots, set aside.
Coarsely grated carrots - Finely chop the tomatoes, set aside.
Fine chopped tomatoes - Chop or food process the onions and chillies.
Chopped onions and chillies - Heat up a pan, add olive oil, cumin seeds and asafoetida with the onions and chillies. Sauté for a few minutes until translucent.
Sauté onions and chillies - Add all the chopped tomatoes.
Tomatoes added to onions and chillies - Sauté on a medium heat until soften to a pulp and oil begins to separate from the mixture.
Tomatoes cooked until soft and have become a pulp - Add the grated carrots, soya beans and sweetcorn. Mix well.
Soya bean, sweetcorn and grated carrots added - Add soaked rice with water and salt and gently combine together.
Rice, water and salt added - The ingredients should be just covered by the water. If you feel more water is need as a few drop but don’t over do it.
Rice and veggies in water - Place on a tawa or skillet heated to a high temperature. This will prevent the rice from burning at the bottom. Ensure heat level remains at medium while rice pan is on the tawa.
Rice pan placed on a heated tawa - Cook tightly covered until water has evaporated and rice is cooked. You can check this by sliding a fork into the centre. If it comes out clean with no rice stuck to it, then your rice is ready.
- Turn off the heat and allow the rice to stand for 10 minutes, then with a fork, fluff it up and serve.
Serve this with cool yogurt, chaas, green salad or mango or lime pickle.
Best Wishes
Krishna
Cooking With Krish 