Wednesday 24 December 2014

Tomato Rice (Bastardised Version)


There is a craze in recent times and it's Tomato Rice. I saw one or two recipes here and here. Then I went to watch it on Ochikeron. The recipe is a simple one, just rice, tomato, salt, pepper and olive oil. This cute Japanese girl was raving over it as she ate the Tomato Rice. I am sorry darling, my tongue long corrupted by the likes of sambal belacan, budu and fish sauce, is unrepentant and therefore cannot comprehend your enthusiasm.

Super jazzy Tomato Rice. With siew yoke, bacon oil and garlic. Crispy bacon bits to follow.

I don't mean to be a snob but seriously, rice, tomato, salt, pepper and olive oil, it can't taste like much as far as I am concerned. Someone tried it, posted it on Facebook and remarked that this Tomato Rice is overrated. You are very brave my dear for being so frank.



Basically this recipe needs to be jazzed up. Ann added ham and broccoli while Janice added chicken thighs and some vegetables to hers. Since I also wanted to jump on this Tomato Rice bandwagon, jazz it up I did. Call me a party pooper in the health department but nothing rocks like bacon drippings and siew yoke. 



So there you have it. My Tomato Rice. If I could record a video of me eating and waxing lyrical about my delicious Tomato Rice, I would be just as enthusiastic or even more so than Ochikeron. Do you think this is OK to serve for Christmas dinner? I must be kidding.



I broke the rules on carbohydrate restriction and had a jolly good time eating this rice. I finished the whole pot. Buuurrpp...

Tomorrow is Christmas and I wish every one of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Happy Holidays yippeee!!!!












Tomato Rice
Recipe source : Corrupted from Ochikeron

Ingredients :
- 1.5 cups basmathi rice
- 1 ripe tomato
- 3 strips streaky bacon, cut into smaller pieces and fried till crispy. Reserve oil.
- A few pieces siew yoke (roasted pork, as if you didn't know)
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and leave whole
- Salt and pepper to taste

Method :
1. Wash tomato and make a criss cross cut on the surface of the tomato
2. Wash rice and drain.
3. Put rice into rice cooker and add 2 cups water.
4. Add 1 (no, 2) tablespoons bacon oil.
5. Add siew yoke and garlic.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Cook as per normal way you cook rice.
8. When rice is done, mash the tomato, add fried bacon and mix the rice and all the ingredients.
9. Serve.


52 comments:

  1. Hi 5 sweetie! I've been seeing this tomato rice in some of the mommy groups in FB too, and I was like "Duh, so tai keng siew kuai".. One post like this yielded like 200+ comments! Sai mm sai ahh? Some boiled rice with just a tomato, some added corn and celery, mushrooms, those stuff, some modified and added meat like you, but errrr, enlighten me, what has the tomato gotta do with the whole thing? Does it make the rice more fragrant? But since everyone is hoo-haa-ing about it in FB, I decided to do it - last week.. Just like you, except I didn't add in the siew yok and bacon oil and garlic.. Result? Normal plain white rice la, aiyo... But we girls are like that hor, other people do, we wana follow, so now at least we can proudly announce "I've tried it", teehee..

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    1. Louiz, I think this is just a novelty. Tomato with rice where got nice? It looks nice nia because the rice becomes reddish, But in terms of taste, biasa aje and got slight sourish taste from the tomato. That's why I tambah liew so that it taste way better. So, I've tried it but then feel cheating pulak because did not actually taste the original one.

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  2. Yeah....for this tomato rice you need to add "something else" to add up more flavour, like what you said ham, bacon, and now seeing you added ....yum...siew yoke! Compare to this tomato rice, I still prefer the carrot butter rice far more better than this.

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    1. Mel, I can't remember carrot butter rice hah..hah... It must be nice due to the butter. I'll look it up.

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  3. Replies
    1. Sharon, make sure you add meat or else bo ho chiak.

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  4. This post is so entertaining! Hihihi

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  5. haha and this tomato rice is like all over FB and Blogs if I am not mistaken?? and I like your "BASTARDISED" version with siew yoke and bacon oil!! and is that why you "bastardised" it?? so you wallop them and broke your rules on carbohydrates, were you "bastardised" after that?? hahaha.. anyway, I think this is actually quite health, at least a lot healthier than nasi lemak ayam rendang tambah sambal sotong dan cili kerang?? hehehe~~

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    1. SK, it was all over the place at one time. Like so hot. But I can say for sure if did not tambah extra ingredients, I would have taken one bite and then regretted hee..hee.. But it should be OK if taken with a stronger tasting side dish.

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  6. wishing you and your partner a MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!! :)

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    1. Thank you! Wishing you and all at home Merry Christmas and Happy New Year too!

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  7. Merry Xmas and enjoy cooking and baking.

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    1. Thanks, Chris! Marry Christmas to you and your family too!

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  8. Ha ha ! Phong Hong ... yeah 'corrupted' version ...hee hee. When I saw the original recipe, I thought it's quite bland. Tomato alone is not sweet. While I like to make some tomato + potatoes + pork ribs soup and just add to any cooked rice. Hmm ... perhaps I try another 'corrupted' like using lump cheong ... hee hee.
    Blessed Christmas to you too ^-^!

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    1. Karen, lup cheong is another excellent ingredient to use hee..hee... Here's wishing you and your family a jolly and Merry Christmas !

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  9. Yet to try. Seems the craze has died out - don't see this all over Facebook anymore...like not too long ago. Everyone was doing it!

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    1. Arthur, the novelty has worn off I guess. If you do try it, please add some savoury ingredients or else it is quite bland.

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  10. I would bastardize that tomato rice recipe too, doesn't matter since I'm already an arrogant bastard in the eyes of many :D

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    1. hah..hah..I appreciate sheer brutal honesty :)

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  11. I really like this post. I can imagine the scenario while you are eating the tomato rice. lol

    Merry X'mas.

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    1. Thanks, Veronica! Yeah, you imagine me, pot in hand and eating directly from the rice pot hah..hah...

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  12. Perked up tomato rice with siew yoke, bacon and bacon oil should be 3X as good...no doubt about that!! Merry Christmas to you and your partner....enjoy the festivities of the holiday season ;)

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    1. Thank you! And Merry Christmas to you and your family too!

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  13. Hi Phong Hong, you have everything in the pot of Tomato Rice. Looks very simple that you can throw it whatever you have and make it a complete One Dish Meal. For me, I'll serve it with some freshly sliced or pickled zuchini and tell my hubby, I won't be frying any vegetables for dinner. Hehehe! least cooking and washing. Don't worry about the carbo, go join some Zumba dancing like what many forty-something are doing these days, you will be Okay. Seasons Greetings to you and have a good year ahead.

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    1. Kimmy, can you imagine me doing zumba? hee..hee... no thank you! But don't worry, I do some simple exercises and now I eat in moderation. Of course lah sometimes I deviate hee..hee.. This one pot meal is good but I can't eat it too often. I shall focus more on salads.I also wish you and your family a good year ahead!

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    2. Hi Phong Hong, some info - my friend of forty something took lots of salad at the time when she wanted to cut down on carbo but she suffered from 'hong sip' after that. Each individual body system reacts differently to various kinds of food. Must know our body well.....

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    3. Kimmy, I must be careful then. Thanks for the advice!

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  14. Hi Phong Hong,
    I saw this tomato rice everywhere in fb. I am with you, I love siew yoke, I love bacon too.
    You cook your rice so beautifully. Love the satu satu biji rice!
    Worries about carbo? Just skip some of the carbo food the next day or just eat your favorite salad saja..hehe
    Merry merry Christmas and Happy holiday to you!
    mui

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    1. mui mui, I will take your good advice :) Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and your family!

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  15. Phong Hong, when I saw your photo of your corrupted version of the tomato rice with siew yoke and crispy bacon, I love it...makes my mouth waters...Hope to try your recipe soon.

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    1. Nancy, this is an easy rice dish to cook. Just plonk everything in the rice cooker and press the switch hee,..hee...

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  16. I love Tomato Rice but yours is something unusual with Siew Yoke! I sure 1000 X Likes!

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    1. Thanks, TM! Siew yoke and bacon makes anything taste good.

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  17. Wow! wow! Got roasted pork mana boleh tahan lagi!!!! hahaha...Merry Christmas Phong Hong :)

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    1. Merry Christmas, Esther! You know how much I love siew yoke :D

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  18. wahhhhh...very heong la!! Can smell the siew yuk from here.. hahahaa... Yes, PH, I think this will bring out the fragrance ... good idea! Next time I try this!

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    1. Claire you must try it. Put siew yoke and I hope you don't eat the whole pot LOL!

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  19. Wah nice, you added in siew yok! I guess the rice is a bit oily which will taste even better!

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    1. Hayley, it was very good. You must try it!

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  20. Phong Hong, I love cooking tomato rice too. I have tried 3 times, yesterday only I made into onigiri shape, I will blog about it in future.

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    1. Hi Yannie! I like this tomato rice but I need stronger flavors, hence the naughty additions :) Will look out for your tomato rice!

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  21. LOL, I added Cajun Chicken to mine! Definitely needed to jazz it up for it is so bland on its own! Happy Christmas, Phong Hong!

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    1. Cajun Chicken sounds great, Diana! Happy holidays!

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  22. siew yoke is good stuff! that day i went to buy siew yoke and the guy told me the best part is the tongue! serious?? anyway i took a piece of that tongue but didnt quite like it..cos i was imagining i was eating a tongue...! Merry christmas to you , Phong Hong!

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    1. Lena, I didn't know got tongue siew yoke. Sounds weird hah..hah.. Happy holidays!

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  23. Merry Christmas to you and your family! I see you can't help yourself and so jumped on the bandwagon too. Putting in a tomato to cook rice just means having a somewhat sourish rice since tomato is sourish. So if one does not like sourish, so it will be taken as what's so great about tomato rice.

    I like your version of siew yoke and bacon. Really give new meaning to tomato rice which was meant to be taken as a healthy meal I presume since it started with tomato and olive oil. LOL!

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    1. Happy holidays, Mun! Christmas just came and went :( I always make things unhealthy but it tastes good hee..hee..

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  24. Wow Phong Hong, you finally got to trying this out, and seriously, ur colour combi is gd! yes, I do agree with you that our tastebuds have been spoilt by the good chillies and all and this tomato rice is indeed an overrated dish. Well, at least we have been there and done that. :)

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    1. Janice, we actually improved it hah..hah...

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