tomato rice recipe for babies, toddlers and kidsDo you know that each year a tomato fight ‘La tomatina’ happens in the small Spanish town of Bunol known as La Tomatina, involving so much crowd throwing around 150,000 tomatoes at each other?You might think why I am writing about this in a parenting site. Well today’s recipe is the one containing tomatoes, yes you guessed it right tomato rice recipe for babies and toddlers!Tomato rice is a one pot meal which is a quick and healthy recipe.Healthy Benefits of Tomatoes:
Tomatoes are more beneficial when they are cooked, as lycopenes the antioxidant in it gets released then. It is also packed with Calcium, Potassium, Vitamins A and Vitamin C.The health benefits of tomatoes are:Good visionGood for heart functionHealthy skinHelps in digestionLower hypertensionPrevent urinary tract infectionsPrevent gall stonesReduce cholesterolScientists say tomatoes are fruits but United States Supreme Court declared it as vegetable!Click To TweetTomato rice recipe for babies and toddlers:Tomato rice or pulao will be most common variety rice prepared in almost every home. It’s a tasty and tangy dish which goes well with raita or potato chips.I used to prepare it often but my little one don’t like the way I prepare it for our meal. So I just modified it by reducing the spice level and chucking out a few ingredients. I add in cashew nuts or sometimes broccoli for different flavor as taste buds of our kids keep on changing.For babies, tomato rice in mushy form can be given from 8th month. For toddlers and kids you can add in a pinch of pepper powder or chilly powder.Tomato rice recipe – step by step preparation method:Soak cashew nuts in hot water. Wash and soak rice too. Cut onions, tomatoes and keep it aside. I have removed the seeds of tomato here. Grind tomatoes, garlic and cashews to a fine paste.
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and temper all the ingredients written under tempering. Sautee onions till transparent if you are using it.Add tomato paste to it and sautee for 1-2 minutes until the rawness goes off. Add in turmeric powder, garam masala powder and salt. Add 1 ½ cup of water and when it boils add the drained rice. Pressure cook for 3 to 5 whistles.
If you do not want a mushy texture, 3 whistles are enough. Garnish with coriander leaves for toddlers.Further reading:Moong dal khichdi for babies14 delicious chapati recipes for toddlers and kids PrintTomato Rice Recipe for Babies, Toddlers and Kids Author: Jayalekshmy Velswamy IngredientsRice - 2 and half tablespoonTomato -1Cashew nuts -2Onion – ½ (optional, I have not added but adding onions will give a nice flavour)Garlic - 1 cloveTurmeric powder - a pinchGaram masala powder- ¼ teaspoonSalt as per your baby’s tasteFor Tempering:Ghee -1 tbspClove-1Cinnamon stick -a small oneBay leaf-a small oneCardomom-1Fennel seeds -less than ¼ tspCumin seeds -less than ¼ tspInstructionsSoak cashew nuts in hot water before you start cutting tomatoes and onionWash rice thoroughly and soak rice in water for few minutesCut tomatoes and onionsIn a mixie jar take chopped tomatoes, garlic pod, cashew nuts and grind to a fine pasteDrain the rice and keep it asideIn a pressure cooker heat ghee, add all the ingredients listed under 'for tempering'If you wish to include onions add at this stage and saute until transparentAdd the tomato paste to this, mix well and saute a littleAdd in the turmeric powder, garam masala powder and salt as requiredAdd the required amount of water (rice:water -1:2 ratio)Bring to boil and add in the ricePut lid and whistle on cookerAllow 3 to 5 whistles.Once it's done switch off stoveOpen after a while, your tomato rice is ready. If you want garnish it with coriander leaves.Notes1. I used to give five whistles to make it mushy (if your kid doesn’t like too mushy go only for three whistles)3.2.2885
Please note:If you don’t want to prepare in pressure cooker, cook rice separately. Just follow the same procedure. After adding masalas and salt, add in the cooked rice, sauté it for a while and switch off.You can also add two or three blanched broccoli florets while grinding tomatoes to increase the nutrition level.While chopping onions if you cry a lot like me, just cut the onion into two halves. Put them inside the freezer for a minute or two, then chop it.Adjust the water level accordingly while cooking in pressure cooker as the rice varieties differ. I used thanjavur ponni rice.After cooking if your tomato rice seems too watery, close the pressure cooker without whistle in low flame for few seconds to evaporate the excess water.The quantity of rice taken here serves twice for my little one. Each baby’s quantity of intake differs. So take the measurements accordingly.Have you tried tomato rice recipe for your little one? Which is the variety tomato rice recipe for babies you have tried? Share with me in comments here.Like and share this article in your Facebook and twitter. Remember sharing is sexy too 
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