Tomato Rice

Ingredients:

- 300 gm (1 1/2 cups) Basmati Rice
- 1 ½ cups (375 ml) Coconut milk
- 1 ½ cups (375 ml) Tomato Puree (made from about 5 medium sized tomatoes)
- 6 cloves
- 1 “ piece cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 to 3 green chillies slit length ways
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp salt or to taste

Instruction :

-Wash and rinse the rice in a colander in a running stream of water for about a minute or until the water runs clear and soak the rice for 15 minutes to ½ hr, with enough water to cover the rice. 
- Remove the eye of the tomato and make cross slits on the other end of the tomatoes. This makes it easier to peel the skin. In a medium sized saucepan, bring water to a boil and the tomatoes.
-  Cook until their skin starts to peel. Cool the tomatoes, remove the skin and grind to a puree in a blender or food processor. Strain the puree to remove the seeds.
- Prepare fresh coconut milk or use prepared ones off the shelves.
- In a medium sized pot with heavy fitting lid, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and green chillies, stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the spices release their flavours into the oil.
- Lower the flame, strain the rice and add into the spiced oil. Stir briefly for about a couple of minutes, taking care not to break the rice grains.
- Pour in the boiled tomato puree and coconut milk, add the salt, cover the lid and cook on the lowest flame for 15 to 20 minutes.
- When the rice grains are cooked, remove the lid, allow the steam to escape for about 2 to 3 minutes, fluff with a fork and serve hot.