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Tomato Rice One Pot Meal

Tomato Rice One Pot Meal served hot with coriander and cashews
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A warm and flavorful Tomato Rice One Pot Meal made with basmati rice, ripe tomatoes, whole spices, herbs, and a bright finish of lemon.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1½ cups aged basmati rice, or any non-sticky rice
  • 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
  • 1 medium onion, chopped or thinly sliced
  • 1 green chili, slit, optional
  • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, or ½ tablespoon each finely grated ginger and garlic
  • 1 cup tomatoes, from 2 to 3 medium tomatoes, chopped or pureed
  • ¾ teaspoon salt, or adjust to taste
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala powder or curry powder
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon red chili powder or paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • 2½ cups water for pressure cooker, 3 cups for pot, or 1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons for Instant Pot
  • 3 tablespoons coriander leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional
  • 12 whole cashewnuts, split, optional
  • 1 small bay leaf or curry leaves
  • ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 inch cinnamon piece
  • 3 green cardamoms
  • 3 cloves

Instructions

  1. Place 1½ cups rice in a bowl and rinse several times until the water looks clear.
  2. Cover the rice with fresh water and soak for 30 minutes, then drain well in a colander.
  3. Warm 2 tablespoons oil or ghee in a pressure cooker or deep pot.
  4. Add the split cashewnuts and fry until lightly golden, then lift them out and keep aside.
  5. Add the cloves, cinnamon, cumin seeds, cardamoms, and bay leaf or curry leaves to the hot fat.
  6. When the spices smell fragrant, add the onion and slit green chili.
  7. Cook until the onion turns golden around the edges.
  8. Add 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste and stir for about 30 seconds.
  9. Add the tomatoes, salt, and turmeric, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
  10. Cover and simmer until the tomatoes soften fully and blend into the onion mixture.
  11. Stir in the red chili powder and garam masala powder.
  12. Cook until the tomato masala becomes thick, soft, and glossy.
  13. Pour in the correct amount of water for your method and stir well.
  14. Taste the cooking liquid and adjust the salt if needed.
  15. Bring the water to a strong boil, then add the drained rice.
  16. For the pot method, cook until most of the water is absorbed, then lower the heat, cover, and cook until the rice is tender.
  17. For the pressure cooker method, close the lid and cook on medium-high heat until 1 whistle, then let the pressure settle before opening.
  18. For the Instant Pot method, add 1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons water, scrape the base, add the rice, seal the lid, and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
  19. After Instant Pot cooking, rest for 2 minutes, then release pressure manually, or wait 7 to 8 minutes for softer rice before releasing the rest.
  20. Fluff the rice gently with a fork, then finish with coriander leaves, lemon juice, and the fried cashewnuts.

Notes

  • If using curry powder, bisi bele bath masala, or vangi bath masala, reduce or skip the red chili powder.
  • For 1½ cups aged basmati rice, 2½ cups water works well in a pressure cooker.
  • For other rice varieties, use the same water amount you normally use for plain rice.
  • Add extra water only as needed, since overly soft tomato rice loses its best texture.

Nutrition

Keywords: Tomato Rice One Pot Meal, tomato rice, Indian tomato rice, one pot rice, basmati rice recipe

Find it online: https://thekitchenfinesse.com/2026/05/17/tomato-rice-one-pot-meal/