Tomato Rice With Coconut Milk, Thengai Paal Thakkali Sadam

          Thakkali Sadam, this is the favorite mixed rice in our home, I have already posted one version of it ( the one that I make more often ) here in the blog, I don't use any masalas, garlic or coconut milk in that rice, just plain seasoning and green chillies for spice. Today's rice is another version of Tomato Rice, we cook the rice with tomatoes, coconut milk and it has garlic, it's more like a pilaf. This rice tastes totally different from the first one and the flavors are totally different with the coconut milk and garlic. Both are tasty in their own way, you might like one better than the other, depending upon your choice of flavors..

Need To Have

• Basmati Rice - 1 cup
• Tomatoes - 3 medium, chopped
• Onion - 1 medium, chopped
• Frozen Peas - 1/2 cup
• Garlic cloves - 5
• Green Chillies - 2
• Store Bought Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup
• Cinnamon - 1" stick
• Cloves - 5
• Green Cardamom - 3
• Cashews - 6 or 8, broken into pieces
• Salt to taste

Method

          Pound together the garlic and green chillies and keep. Wash and soak the rice for about 30 minutes.

          Heat some oil, add the cloves, cinnamon and cardamom, once they start sizzling, add cashews, saute till they turn golden, then add the onion.

          Saute for a minute, add the garlic-chilly and saute till raw smell goes away. Now add the chopped tomatoes and salt and saute till it breaks down.

          Now add the drained rice and green peas, mix, add the coconut milk and 2 cups of water, cover and cook, once it starts boiling, reduce the heat and cook on medium-low heat till done. Once all the moisture has almost gone way, switch off and leave it covered without disturbing for about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve it with some raitha and chips or some kind of kurma or curry.

Note
If using freshly squeezed coconut milk, you can use even one cup and reduce the water.
Check the salt before adding the rice, it should taste slightly on the saltier side, then it'll be fine when the rice is cooked.
Don't disturb the rice when it's hot, you'll end up making it mushy.
You can leave out the green peas if you don't have or don't like.