Tangy Karnataka-Style Tomato Bath, A Simple South Indian Rice For Summer Meals

By Aditi Saraswat

April 7, 2026

 Tomato bath is a tangy, spicy rice dish that fits in perfectly for summer meals. It is full of flavour, and also not too heavy, making it perfect for a quick meal option when you want to have something simple but also satisfying.

Ingredients

1 cup cooked rice 2 medium tomatoes (finely chopped) 1 small onion (sliced) 2 tbsp oil 1 tsp mustard seeds 8–10 leaves of curry leaves 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp red chilli powder ½ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tbsp roasted peanuts Salt to taste 2 tbsp fresh coriander (chopped)

Step 1

In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let them splutter until they release their aroma.

Step 2

Add the sliced onions to this and sauté until they soften and turn a bit golden. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for a short time so that the raw taste fades away.

Step 3

Now, add the chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric, and chilli powder, and cook until the tomatoes turn soft fully and release oil.

Step 4

Sprinkle some garam masala and mix it well with the base, making a rich, slightly spicy flavour.

Step 5

Add the cooked rice and mix it with the masala so that each grain is covered with the masala.

Step 6

In the end, add some roasted peanuts and fresh coriander from the top, then serve warm with a bowl of raita for a hearty meal.