Whenever my elder one has stayback for his extra curricular activities in school , i need to pack him 2 boxes, one for his breakfast around 9:45 and other lunch around 1:45. Packing 1 box itself is such a task , i need to pack 3 breakfast boxes and 1 lunch box on a normal day, so whenever he has extra classes, i need to pack 5 boxes totally. If i don’t plan it, i will be standing like a stone!
So it is always a rice dish for his lunch, makes my job lot easier as he loves to have spicy food, so a one pot jazzy dazzy rice along with some raita or some dal he loves it. He needs a gravy with his rice, he cannot eat pulao or biriyani with chips, whereas my lil one is quite opposite, he loves to have non-greasy type rice dishes, as such, he might ask for some appalam/chips.
So during lazy days i make a pulao, make some raita and some appalam, both the kiddos are happy. This tomato-coconut milk pulao is one such happy dish, it gets ready in 20-30 minutes, best recipe to make during the morning rush.
My kiddos don’t like peas or carrots in their rice dish, so i havent added them , if you prefer to add please go ahead and add them, they will bring a nice color to the dish.
Ingredients
1/2 cup basmati rice
2 medium sized tomatoes
2 green chilies
1/2 tsp shredded ginger
1/2 cup thick coconut milk (i used store bought)
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
a pinch of garam masala
a pinch of tumeric powder
1/2 tsp salt
Tempering
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 cardamom
1 clove
1 bay leaf
1 red chilies
Method
- Wash and soak rice in water for 20 minutes. Take tomatoes, green chilies and ginger in a blender and blend until smooth.
- In a sauce pan, heat oil, crackle cumin, add clove, cardamom and bay leaf. Add red chilies, now add the blended tomato juice to it, saute for a minute.
- Now add the drained basmati rice to it, saute for a minute, next add red chili powder, tumeric powder, coriander powder, garama masala powder to it.
- Add coconut milk and another 1/2 cup of water to it. Add salt, mix well. Cover and cook in a simmer flame for 15- 20 minutes or until done. Once done, fluff it up with a fork, add a generous drizzle of ghee.
- Pack it with some potato curry or appalam for your kiddo’s lunch. My elder prefers a liquid along with his rice, so i usually pack it with raita.
Day 20
The flavor of Coconut milk in rice is amazing. We all love it.
This is indeed a quick and flavorful recipe. Love these under 30 minutes one. Bookmarking it priya. very nice.
Such a delicious pulao ,tomato and coconut milk goes very well together!!
Looks like u r a huge fan of coconut milk , priya 🙂 this tomato pilaf looks very flavourful and easy too
Wow, making 5 lunch boxes in the morning is quite a task. Guess this kind of quick and tasty pulav saves your day. Even i do add coconut milk in tomato rice and i love the flavor it brings out . Total Yum!!!
5 lunchboxes in a day is definitely a task. Kudos to you Priya. And this pulao looks simply fabulous and inviting.
Adding coconut milk to pulao always enriches the flavour. Your version of tomato rice looks so good and very apt for the morning rush hour.
I have always used milk while cooking rice , coconut milk sounds interesting , must be giving the rice a wonderful flavor .
Tomato rice with coconut milk ! Wow ! Awesome combo and a flavourful rice !
I love the addition of coconut milk to rice dishes, adds mild coconut flavor and also helps with the texture of rice. Your tomato and coconut milk rice sounds delicious.
That way too many boxes Priya and kudos on planning well ahead else yes we will be having high BP..I too make something like this for they boys lunch!..very nicely cooked..
Oh my 5 lunch boxes… that's a task! Love how you've added also coconut milk with tomato to make this flavorful rice.
Coconut milk in tomato rice must have tasted amazing. It was the same for me to cook two meals for my girls until they started getting it from school.
I bet that coconut milk adds a subtle flavor to the yummy and tangy pulao.
Coconut milk adds a nice, subtle flavor to this yummy and tangy pulao.
I make tomato pulao, but using coconut milk sounds amazing. Love the flavor of coconut and it should also add a great richness to the pulao.
Wow.. love the flavors coconut and tomato in rice…
OMG, you are a super woman Priya,5 packed lunch boxes!! Love this tomato rice with coconut milk,must have tasted so yum!