Tomato Bhath (Tomato Rice)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon split Bengal gram (chana dal)
• 1 teaspoon skinned split black lentils (urad dal)
• 4 dried red chile peppers
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon flaked coconut
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1/4 cup peanuts
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 large onions, minced
• 3 green chile peppers, halved lengthwise
• 2 sprigs fresh curry leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder
• 3 tomatoes, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• Salt to taste
• 3 cups cold, cooked white rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions

Make the masala podi by heating 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat; fry the chana dal, urad dal, dried chile peppers, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds in the hot oil until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Grind the mixture with the coconut into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Fry the peanuts and mustard seeds in the hot oil until the peanuts begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, green chile peppers, curry leaves, and asafoetida powder to the peanut mixture; cook and stir until the onions are browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir the tomatoes, turmeric, sugar, and salt into the mixture; continue cooking until the tomatoes are soft, about 10 minutes more. Season with the masala podi. Crumble the rice into the skillet, using the back of a spoon to separate the individual grains. Cook and stir until the rice is mixed into the dish and hot, 5 to 7 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro to serve.