Tomato Rice Bath

Ingredients ( Serves for 4 )

Tomato - 7
Rice - 3 cups
Onions - 3
Ginger - 2 inch piece
Garlic - 10 pieces
Green chilies -4
Cinnamon - 1 piece (3 inch)
Cloves - 5
Cardamom - 3 (optional)
Bay leaves - 3
Chilly powder - 1/2 tea spoon
Coriander powder - 1/4 tea spoon
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt to taste
Ghee - 2 tea spoon
Lemon - 1/2.
Coriander and Curry leaves - some

1. Wash tomatoes and chop into smaller pieces.

2. Rinse rice thoroughly in water and soak for 15 minutes.

3. Cut 2 onions, peeled ginger, garlic, 2 cloves, a bit of cinnamon and grind them to a coarse paste.

4. Cut remaining 1 onion  and green chilies length wise.

5. Drain the rice well. Heat 2 table spoon of ghee in cooker, fry the rice gently for 3 minutes.

6. Remove the rice from cooker and add 7 table spoon of oil , add mustard seeds, once it splutters, add green chilies, onions, remaining cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, bay leaves and fry until onions turn light brown.

7. Now add the ground coarse paste and fry until the raw flavor goes.

8. Add the tomatoes and fry them by chopping with the spatula. Fry until the tomatoes become watery and  the raw smell goes..

9. Add Chilly powder, Coriander powder, pinch of turmeric, salt and fry for another 2 minutes.

10. Add fried rice to this and mix well.

11. Now add water , half cup lesser to 1:2 of rice and water.. Meaning... for 3 cups, I added 5 1/2 cups of water and not 6 cups.. because tomatoes itself will have 1/2 cup of liquid content.. Taste and add salt.

Note : Above ratio is for Normal rice, For Basmati 1 : 1.25 of rice and water ..(reduce 1/2 cup of water)

12. Close the cooker, and cook until 3 whistles.

13. Once done, mix gently by adding some ghee and lemon extract.. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note : Adding saffron color is optional , but I did not added any color..

14. Serve with Raita or gravy..