Nasi Tomato (Tomato Rice)

When I tasted Nasi Tomato for the first time, I immediately fell in love with it. The aroma and flavor was tantalizing. Pair it with Ayam Masak Merah and you have a delicious meal made in heaven. It is also good with Kuzi Ayam or Kuzi Daging.

The ingredients are not much different from Nasi Minyak or Nasi Hujan Panas except for the addition of tomato puree and tomato ketchup. The recipe below is again taken from Kak Liza's book "Senangnya Memasak Nasi" (So Easy to Cook Rice).

Just in case you are wondering, you can freeze leftover Nasi Tomato (I doubt there'll be any) and reheat. It tastes just as good as fresh.

Nasi Tomato (Recipe by Chef Hanieliza with my modifications in red)

Ingredients A

- 5 cups rice (washed and drained) (I used 2 cups)

- 1/2 cup milk (I used 1/4 cup evaporated milk)

- 4 tomatoes (chopped)(I omitted and used 2 tablespoons tomato puree)

- 1/2 cup tomato ketchup (I used 2 tablespoons)

- 3 tablespoons ghee (I used about 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil and 1 tablespoon ghee)

- Salt to taste

- 6 cups water (I used 2 1/2 cups water)

- pandan leaf (knotted) (I used 2 leaves)

- 2 stalks lemongrass (I used 1 stalk)

Ingredients B (to saute)

- 3 cloves garlic (sliced) (I used 2 cloves)

- 5 shallots (sliced)

- 1 inch ginger (I used 1/2 inch)

- 3 cardamom (I used 2)

- 3 cloves (I used 2)

- 1 inch cinnamon stick (I used 1/2 inch)

- 2 star anise (I used 1)

Method :

1. Heat ghee in a pan and saute ingredients B, lemongrass and pandan leaf until fragrant.

2. Add tomatoes, salt and mix well.

3. Add milk and water and bring to a boil.

4. Put the sauteed ingredients into a rice pot together with the rice and cook as usual.

5. When rice is cooked and almost dry, mix the rice taking care not to break the rice grains.

Personal Note :

1. I mixed water, milk, tomato puree, tomato ketchup and salt in a measuring cup.

2. When the sauteed ingredients become aromatic, I put the rice into the pan and mixed.

3. Then I transferred the rice into the rice pot and poured the liquids in and cook the rice as normal.

I served the Nasi Tomato with Kuzi Ayam (Chicken Kuzi).

A simple acar (pickles) made with cucumber, pineapple, onions, vinegar, sugar and salt makes a great accompaniment. And sambal belacan too!

Sambal nenas (Pineapple sambal) also makes this very appetizing.

It's not unusual to have seconds :)

I would like to wish all my Muslim friends and readers Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. May all of you have a joyous and wonderful time with your family, friends and loved ones!