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Tomato rice with carrot sticks

Tomato rice with carrot sticks
Photo: Upendra Kanda, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Ingredients

For 4 servings. 1 serving = 1 adult; a 6-year-old eats about half.

  • Raw rice (sona masoori)280 g
  • Tomatoes280 g (~2½ medium)
  • Brown onions120 g (~1 medium)
  • Garlic4 cloves
  • Garam masala¾ tsp
  • Kashmiri chilli powder½ tsp
  • Turmeric powder¼ tsp
  • Curry leaves¾ sprig
  • Mustard seeds½ tsp
  • Sunflower or rice-bran oil1 tbsp
  • Salt1 tsp
  • Carrots160 g (~1½ medium)

You need

  • Medium saucepan with lid
  • Sieve or colander
  • Kadai or deep sauté pan with lid
  • Sharp knife and chopping board
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Lunchboxes with ice bricks
  • Insulated food jar

Method

  1. The night before: rinse 280 g rice in the sieve, put it in the saucepan with 600 ml (about 2½ cups) water, bring to the boil on high, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes. Leave covered 5 minutes, then spread on a plate to cool.
  2. The night before: while the rice cooks, slice 120 g (~1 medium) onion, chop 4 cloves garlic and chop 280 g (~2½ medium) tomato small.
  3. The night before: heat 1 tbsp oil in the kadai on medium for 1 minute. Add ½ tsp mustard seeds and wait until they pop, about 30 seconds. Add ¾ sprig curry leaves and the onion and stir for 5 minutes, until soft and golden.
  4. The night before: add the garlic and stir 1 minute. Add the tomato, ¼ tsp turmeric, ¾ tsp garam masala and 1 tsp salt. Cover and cook on medium for 5 minutes, until the tomato is mushy.
  5. The night before: take the lid off and cook 3–4 minutes more, stirring, until the masala is thick and the oil shows at the edges. Spoon the kids' share into a small box. Stir ½ tsp chilli powder into the rest for 1 minute.
  6. The night before: cool the masala and the rice, box them, and put both in the fridge within an hour.
  7. In the morning: warm the kids' masala in the kadai on medium for 1 minute, add their share of rice and stir for 2–3 minutes until steaming hot. Pack it. Then do the same with the adults' masala and the rest of the rice in the same pan.
  8. In the morning: peel 160 g (~1½ medium) carrot and cut it into sticks. Pack the rice very hot into a thermos warmed with boiling water for 5 minutes, or cool it on a plate for 15 minutes and pack it with an ice brick. Carrot sticks go in a separate compartment.

Tips

  • Make a double batch of masala; it freezes well for the next tomato rice day.

Make it easier

  • The night before: Make the tomato masala and cook the rice tonight; just mix and pack in the morning.

Keeping and freezing

  • Fridge: keeps 1 day in a lidded box. Cool it within an hour of cooking.
  • Freezer: does not freeze well; eat within the fridge time.

Good to know

  • Toddlers: take their portion out before adding chilli or pepper.