Mild Nigerian tomato and rice comfort bowl

Name: Mild Nigerian tomato and rice comfort bowl
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 3 portions

Plain rice cooked in a gentle tomato and onion sauce, with no pepper unless you want it. Light, mild and simple to eat when strong flavours are unappealing.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 35 min
Portions: 3

Easy
Pregnancy
Vegetarian
Vegan
Budget-friendly

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Portions

Ingredient quantities update automatically. Cooking times may need a little adjustment when you change the batch size.

Swap an ingredient

Only swaps that keep this recipe pregnancy-safe are offered. Allergen information below updates when you choose one.

Ingredient unavailable: use brown rice instead of white or parboiled riceBrown rice needs a longer cooking time, around 30 minutes.
Ingredient unavailable: use diced sweet potato instead of carrot

Ingredients

For 3 portions. Tick items as you go — nothing is changed for anyone else.

300 g white or parboiled rice, rinsed
4 medium tomatoes, washed and blended or finely chopped
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 medium carrot, washed, peeled and diced
2 tbsp groundnut oil
600 ml water or unsalted stock
salt, a little, to taste

This recipe contains foods that can contribute to a varied and balanced diet during pregnancy.

Method

Step 1. Heat the oil and cook the onion gently for 3 minutes without browning.
Step 2. Add the washed blended tomato and cook for 8 minutes until it thickens and loses its raw smell.
Step 3. Stir in the rice, carrot and water, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 15–18 minutes until the rice is tender and cooked through.
Step 4. Season lightly. Add a little pepper only if you want it.
Step 5. Serve a small bowl first; the rest should be cooled quickly and chilled rather than left standing.

Allergens for your selection

No declarable allergens in the ingredients as currently selected.

Ingredient brands and substitutions can change allergen content. Always check the labels on the products you buy.

Food safety

Wash all fruit, vegetables and leafy greens thoroughly in clean water before use.
Cook meat, chicken, fish and eggs thoroughly — no pink meat, no runny egg yolk or white.
Keep raw meat, chicken and fish away from cooked food, and use separate boards, knives and plates.
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate where power allows, and reheat once until piping hot throughout. If you cannot refrigerate safely, prepare only what you will eat.
Use pasteurised milk and dairy products. Do not assume that loose or locally sold milk and yoghurt are pasteurised — check the label, or boil fresh milk before use.
No meal can be described as completely risk-free. Guidance can differ — follow current Nigerian maternal-health advice or the advice of your midwife, doctor or antenatal clinic.
Cooked rice must be cooled quickly (within 1 hour), kept chilled and reheated once only, as rice left standing warm can cause food poisoning.
Mild in flavour and easy to eat in small amounts when appetite is reduced. Serve a small portion and keep the rest chilled, and leave out pepper, ginger, onion or crayfish if strong smells are difficult. This recipe is not a treatment for sickness in pregnancy. If nausea or vomiting is severe or persistent, or you cannot keep fluids down, contact your maternity or healthcare team.
Eating little and often, with nutrient-dense foods such as eggs, beans, groundnuts, fruit and pasteurised dairy, is a practical approach when appetite is low. Pregnancy is not a time for restrictive dieting or weight loss; if you are worried about how little you are eating, speak to your antenatal clinic.

Allergens

No common declarable allergens are listed in this recipe's ingredients.

Ingredient brands and substitutions can change allergen content. Always check the labels on the products you buy.

Sources

Food-based dietary guidelines for Nigeria — Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria and FAO, reviewed 4 September 2026
Five keys to safer food — World Health Organization, reviewed 4 September 2026
Food safety and applied nutrition — National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), reviewed 4 September 2026