Before the large, juicy, garden tomatoes take over our kitchen counters in late summer, we have the baby-sized cherry tomatoes in season right now, popping up in pints as we scramble to put them to good use before they spoil.
They’re easy to throw into salads of course, and pasta dishes. And I love to use them as the main ingredient in this Curried Tomato Rice.
Similar to rice pilaf or Spanish rice, this Curried Tomato Rice is an easy one-pot rice dish that’s great for a summer gathering, or a weeknight dinner with the family.
Simply flavor it with our handcrafted Sweet Curry Powder. The blend adds a wonderful depth and a nice golden hue to the cherry tomato rice.
For the rice, I used cooked brown basmati rice, which I had prepared the night before and kept in the refrigerator. It’s best not to use freshly cooked rice, since it will be too soft to add into the skillet, and the dish will end up mushy.
Once the sweet cherry tomatoes, garlic, mushrooms, and bell peppers are steamy and infused with the curry powder, add in the cooked rice and mix well to make sure every grain absorbs all of those delicious flavors. Then give the dish an umami boost with a couple of teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce.
Finally, a garnish of freshly chopped cilantro, a few generous squeezes of lemon juice, and a light fluff with a fork, and you get a bright, summery rice dish.
You can keep this Curried Tomato Rice simple like I did here, or add additional protein like shredded chicken or pan-fried tofu. It would also be fun to add some grilled corn kernels for a little smoky, sweet taste!
Curried Tomato Rice
by Season with Spice
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients:
2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
A dab of butter (optional)
10-12oz cherry tomatoes – halved
3-4 garlic cloves – minced
8oz button mushrooms – thinly sliced
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1 bell pepper – finely diced
2 tsp of Season with Spice’s Sweet Curry Powder (or Sweet & Spicy)
4 cups cooked basmati brown rice (or regular brown rice or long grain rice)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, or soy sauce
Sea salt, to season
Large squeeze of lemon juice, plus additional wedges for serving
Freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish
Serve with (optional):
Shredded romaine lettuce
Dollop of Greek yogurt
Grilled chicken, grilled salmon, or pan fried tofu
Method:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in butter (if using). Then add in the cherry tomatoes and cook over medium-high heat. When tomatoes begin to soften, press down the tomatoes to release the juices. Add in minced garlic, and cook for another 5 minutes (or until tomatoes are cooked down).
2. Add in sliced mushrooms, stir, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add in the broth, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Add in bell pepper and Sweet Curry Powder, mix well, and cook for another minute.
3. Stir in the cooked rice, and sauté over high heat. Add in worcestershire sauce, and season with sea salt. Mix everything well. If the rice mixture gets too dry while cooking, add in a tablespoon of broth/water. Squeeze in fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Garnish with cilantro and serve with additional lemon wedges.
Notes:
- Cooked rice that’s been refrigerated overnight works best. Take the rice out 15-20 minutes before cooking. Gently fluff to loosen the grains, so it’s easier to cook.
by Season with Spice
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients:
2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
A dab of butter (optional)
10-12oz cherry tomatoes – halved
3-4 garlic cloves – minced
8oz button mushrooms – thinly sliced
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1 bell pepper – finely diced
2 tsp of Season with Spice’s Sweet Curry Powder (or Sweet & Spicy)
4 cups cooked basmati brown rice (or regular brown rice or long grain rice)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, or soy sauce
Sea salt, to season
Large squeeze of lemon juice, plus additional wedges for serving
Freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish
Serve with (optional):
Shredded romaine lettuce
Dollop of Greek yogurt
Grilled chicken, grilled salmon, or pan fried tofu
Method:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in butter (if using). Then add in the cherry tomatoes and cook over medium-high heat. When tomatoes begin to soften, press down the tomatoes to release the juices. Add in minced garlic, and cook for another 5 minutes (or until tomatoes are cooked down).
2. Add in sliced mushrooms, stir, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add in the broth, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Add in bell pepper and Sweet Curry Powder, mix well, and cook for another minute.
3. Stir in the cooked rice, and sauté over high heat. Add in worcestershire sauce, and season with sea salt. Mix everything well. If the rice mixture gets too dry while cooking, add in a tablespoon of broth/water. Squeeze in fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Garnish with cilantro and serve with additional lemon wedges.
Notes:
- Cooked rice that’s been refrigerated overnight works best. Take the rice out 15-20 minutes before cooking. Gently fluff to loosen the grains, so it’s easier to cook.
