Rice is cooked in a tomato-based sauce and aromatic spices. It is easy to prepare and can be cooked on the stove, rice-cooker, or multicooker like Instant Pot pressure cooker. It can be served as a main or a side dish.
If you are looking for an easy and delicious rice dish, definitely try this one out. This vibrant Malay-style tomato rice is a popular Malaysian dish. It can be served as a main if you add protein (I added chicken) or you can leave the protein out and serve it as a side with other entrees. Malay tomato rice is an influence of the Indian nasi biryani
Tips for good tomato rice
1. I highly recommend using ghee. I’m grateful I could find ghee at pretty much any grocery store now. You can use butter too if you don’t have ghee
2. If you are cooking this on the stove, use a heavy-bottom pot. This is important so the rice won’t get burnt, creating a crust at the bottom
3. I use tomato paste instead of tomato puree. It gives a nice vibrant color without making the rice wet
4. The fresh tomatoes need to be seeded and then cut into cubes. The seeds will make the rice wet
5. I don’t cook the fresh tomatoes with the rice because they end up disappearing into the rice. Instead, I stir them in last and the residual heat from the rice will soften them without overcooking
How to cook easy Malay tomato rice
You can cook this on the stove, rice cooker, or multicooker. The step-by-step photos here are for multicooker.
1. Rinse the rice in several changes of water until it runs clear. Strain off all water. Put the cloves, star anise, and cardamom inside the spice bag. This is optional. My kids don’t like to bite into cloves or cardamom so I’m putting them inside the spice bag
2. Press saute/cook. When it’s hot, add ghee or coconut oil. Let it melts.
3. Saute onion and garlic until fragant, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and saute until they just turn opaque
4. Add the spice bag, cinnamon stick, pandan leaves, and tomato paste and saute for another minute
5. Add the chicken pieces and saute until they just turn opaque
6. Pour in the water and evaporated milk
7. Add the rice grains and seasonings and stir to combine
8. Make sure the rice is submerged inside the liquid
9. Close the lid and turn the pressure release valve to “sealing”. Press “pressure cooker” and make sure it’s on “high pressure”. Set the timer to 2 minutes and then do natural release
10. Fluff the rice and then stir in the cubed tomatoes. The residual heat will soften the tomatoes without making them mushy. Garnish with cilantro leaves and pistachio nuts if you choose to use and serve
Easy Malay tomato rice is ready to be served!
Variations
1. Milk: you can use non-dairy milk such as coconut milk
2. Protein: you can go meatless and skip the protein
3. Nuts: you can use roasted cashew nuts, almond slices
4. Dried fruit: some people will add raisins or golden raisin
What to serve with Malay tomato rice
I would say pretty much anything. The popular pair in Malaysia is with Ayam Masak Merah and dhal curry. I love it with beef rendang and Acar timun too.
How to store leftover
Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you prepare in big batch, you can portion it into individual servings and keep them in the freezer-friendly containers. Simply thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
Did you make this easy Malay tomato rice recipe?
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Easy Malay Tomato Rice (Nasi Tomato)
Ingredients
- 2 cups jasmine rice or other long grain rice like basmati rice
- 200 gr boneless skinless chicken thigh cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 Tbsp ghee or coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ cup water use the same cup you use to measure rice
- ½ cup evaporated milk or coconut milk
- 2 large tomatoes seeded and dice into small chunks
Spices:
- 1 large cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 3 cloves
- 3 cardamom
- 2 pandan leaves knotted
Aromatics:
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Seasonings:
- 1 tsp chicken or mushroom powder optional
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt or more to taste
Garnish:
- Fresh cilantro leaves finely chopped
- Pistachio nuts roughly chopped, optional
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in several changes of water until it runs clear. Strain off all water. Put the cloves, star anise, and cardamom inside the spice bag. This is optional. My kids don't like to bite into cloves or cardamom so I'm putting them inside the spice bag
Cooking with rice cooker:
- Preheat a large wok or skillet. Add ghee or coconut oil and let it melts. Saute onion and garlic until fragant, about 3 minutes. Add the spice bag, cinnamon stick, pandan leaves, and tomato paste and saute for another minute. Add the chicken pieces and saute until they just turn opaque
- Transfer this to the inner pot of the rice cooker. Add rice, seasonings and pour in the water and evaporated milk. Stir to combine. Close the lid of the rice cooker and press cook or cook using the white rice setting
- Fluff the rice and then stir in the cubed tomatoes. The residual heat will soften the tomatoes without making them mushy. Garnish with cilantro and pistachio nuts if you choose to use and serve
Cooking with multicooker (or Instant Pot pressure cooker):
- Press saute/cook. When it's hot, add ghee or coconut oil. Let it melts. Saute onion and garlic until fragant, about 3 minutes. Add the spice bag, cinnamon stick, pandan leaves, and tomato paste and saute for another minute. Add the chicken pieces and saute until they just turn opaque. Pour in the water and evaporated milk. Add the rice grains and seasonings and stir to combine. Make sure the rice is submerged inside the liquid
- Close the lid and turn the pressure release valve to "sealing". Press "pressure cooker" and make sure it's on "high pressure". Set the timer to 2 minutes and then do natural release
- Fluff the rice and then stir in the cubed tomatoes. The residual heat will soften the tomatoes without making them mushy. Garnish with cilantro leaves and pistachio nuts if you choose to use and serve
Cooking on the stove:
- Preheat a heavy-bottom pot with a tight-fitting lid. It's important to use heavy-bottom pot so your rice won't get burnt during cooking. Add ghee or coconut oil and let it melts. Saute onion and garlic until fragant, about 3 minutes. Add the spice bag, cinnamon stick, pandan leaves, and tomato paste and saute for another minute. Add the chicken pieces and saute until they just turn opaque
- Add the rice, seasonings, and then pour in the water and evaporated milk. Stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a simmer and then close the lid and lower the heat to low. Cook for the next 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and wait 10 minutes before opening the lid. After that, uncover the lid stir in the diced tomatoes and close the lid back and let it stand for another 5 minutes then fluff the rice. Garnish with some cilantro leaves and pistachio nuts if you choose to use. Serve warm
