307) TOMATA SARU

TOMATA SARU

A HOT N’ SWEET, MILD N’ SPICY RASAM

A MANGALOREAN KONKANI DISH

Introduction:

          Nearly all Mangalorean Konkani people are used to having fragrant tomata saru with rice as the first course in every patravali (large plate of leaves stitched together and dried) meal in temples. Now, alas, the quaint patravalis have disappeared in most places giving way to durable steel plates or trays.

          Still, highly appetizing, mouthwatering tomata saru is served on steaming hot piles of raw rice today preceded by ringing shouts of ‘saru! saru!’. It is indeed a sight to see the devotees gulping down mouthful after mouthful, oblivious of everything else.

This simple, watery curry is adored so much because the very aroma which spreads around the place as it boils tantalizes you in expectation of a mesmerizing feast. Do cook and enjoy!

Ingredients:

     1)    Tomato – 175 gm.

     2)    Grated coconut – 50 gm.

     3)    Jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) – 75 gm.

     4)    Coriander seeds – 5 gm.

     5)    Urad dal (split black gram lentils) – 5 gm.

     6)    Cumin seeds (jeera) – 1 gm.

     7)    Black pepper corns – 1 gm.

     8)    Dry hot red chilies – 7 gm.

     9)    Asafoetida powder – ¼ teaspoon

     10)    Tamarind – 25 gm.

     11)    Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

     12)    Salt – 8 gm.

     13)    Water – 1250 ml.

     14)    Coriander leaves – 1 sprig (or culantro (Mexican coriander / eryngium foetidum) leaf – 1 No.)

     15)    Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon

     16)   Cooking oil – 2 teaspoons

     17)    Curry leaves – 1 sprig

To prepare:

          Put the grated coconut, the coriander seeds, the urad dal, the cumin seeds, the black pepper corns and the dry hot red chilies into a non-stick pan. Set on high heat. Stir continuously till the grated coconut turns a light brown. Switch off the heat and set aside.

          Put the tamarind in a small vessel and pour in 250 ml. of hot water. Let it soak for a while. In the meantime, cut the tomatoes roughly to chunks and set aside. Chop the coriander or culantro leaves finely and set aside.

Put the roasted masala ingredients into your food processor. Pour in 250 ml. of water and grind to fine paste. Squeeze the tamarind nicely with your fingers. Strain and collect the juice.

To cook:

          Pour the tamarind juice into a curry vessel. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and set on high heat. As it comes to a boil, put in the jaggery, turn down the heat and cover partially with a lid. Let it cook for 5 minutes.

Now open the lid and tip in the ground paste, the turmeric powder and the salt. Turn up the heat and pour in the remaining water (750 ml.).  As it starts to boil nicely again, tip in the asafoetida powder and the chopped coriander leaves. Switch off the heat and cover with the lid.

          Set a small pan on low heat. Tip in the cooking oil and throw in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds are about to finish crackling, pull the curry leaves off their sprig and throw them in. Stir once, switch off the heat and empty the contents of the pan into the curry vessel.

          Your delicious tomata saru is now ready to serve. Serve with plenty of hot, soft raw rice and fried papads. No matter how much you eat, you will have the feeling of a light stomach and excellent digestion.

Enjoy!!!

302) TOMATO SOUP

TOMATO SOUP

A MILD, DELICIOUS, ENLIVENING SOUP FOR KIDS AND ADULTS ALIKE TO ENJOY

Ingredients (for 5 large servings):

     1)    Ripe tomatoes – 1 kg.

     2)    Onion – 120 gm. (see tip no. 2)

     3)    Cloves – 5 Nos.

     4)    Cinnamon stick – 1-inch piece

     5)    Cardamom pods – 2 Nos.

     6)    Cornflour – 20 gm.

     7)    Sugar – 40 gm. (see tip no. 2)

     8)    Salt – 12 gm.

     9)    Pepper powder – 2 gm. (½ teaspoon)

     10)     Garam masala powder – 5 gm. (1 teaspoon)

     11)     Ghee (clarified butter) – 1 teaspoon

     12)     Water – 1 litre

To cook:

          Peel the onion. Chop the onion and the tomatoes roughly to pieces. Transfer to a pressure cooker. Tip in the cinnamon, the cardamom and the cloves. Pour in 250 ml. of water and close the lid. Set the cooker on high heat.

As soon as you hear the first whistle, turn down the heat and let cook for 5 minutes. Now turn off the heat and allow the cooker to cool naturally (this gives the tomatoes enough time to cook perfectly). As soon as the cooker is cool enough to open, put a suitable fine-meshed stainless steel strainer or colander over the soup pan.

Pour the contents of the cooker into the strainer. Leave it there to cool down enough to be ready for grinding. Put the contents of the strainer into the food processor and grind to fine paste. Pour the paste back into the strainer and press and knead it with your fingers to strain all the tomato juice into the soup pan. Pour the remaining water over the chaff (pomace) and squeeze out the final drops of juice.

Tip the cornflour, the sugar and the salt into the soup pan and set it on high heat. Stir continuously so as to avoid burning at the base. As soon as it comes to a boil, put in the garam masala powder and the pepper powder. Stir well for 3 to 4 minutes, by which time, the soup will thicken nicely.

Now tip in the ghee and switch off the heat. Your mouthwatering tomato soup is now ready to serve. Serve hot with toast.

Bon appétit!!!

Tip:

     1)    I have kept this soup mild so that even children can drink it to their heart’s content. If you want it spicier, just add more pepper powder.

     2)    This soup is a great relief for persons suffering from fever, flu, bronchitis or pneumonia. In such cases, substitute the onions with shallots and the sugar with rock candy to get instant relief. Add more pepper powder if necessary.

     3)    Persons either medically advised or just wanting to omit tomato seeds can cook this recipe after weighing 1 kg. of cut tomatoes without the seed core.

297) TOMATO FRY

TOMATO FRY

A QUICK, HOT, FRESH, CRISPY SIDE DISH ENJOYED ALL OVER KERALA

 

Ingredients:

     1)    Tomato – 500 gm.

     2)    Long hot green chilies – 3 Nos.

     3)    Onion – 120 gm.

     4)    Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

     5)    Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

     6)    Hot red chili powder – 1 teaspoon

     7)    Cooking oil – 1 tablespoon

     8)    Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

     9)    Ginger powder – ¼ teaspoon (or finely chopped ginger – ½ teaspoon)

     10)     Garlic cloves – 5 Nos.

     11)     Powdered salt – 1 teaspoon

To cook:

          Chop the tomato and the onion separately into pieces and set aside (any size is okay). Cut each long green chili diagonally into 4 or 5 pieces. Pull the curry leaves off their stems and set aside. Chop the garlic cloves to fine bits.

Set a pan on high heat. Pour in the cooking oil and throw in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds are about to finish crackling, tip in the curry leaves, the garlic, the onion and the chilies. Stir for just 1 minute and tip in the tomatoes. Stir once and throw in the chili powder, the ginger powder (or chopped ginger), the turmeric powder and the powdered salt. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes and switch off the heat.

Your mouthwatering tomato fry is now ready to serve. Serve immediately with hot chappatis, porottas, rotis, naans, or with freshly baked bread.

Tomato fry with chappatis

As you bite into the hot, crispy onions and the tangy, crunchy tomatoes, the juices exploding in your mouth blending with the rich natural flavours, you will finish your plate in a trice and look for more. In fact, the magic of this simple dish will push aside many an elaborate curry!

Enjoy!!!

64) TOMATO RICE

TOMATO RICE

Ingredients (for 1 large plate):

     1)    Biriyani rice (aged scented raw rice) – 200 gm.

     2)    Fully ripe tomatoes – 250 gm.

     3)    Onion – 50 gm.

     4)    Clove – 1 No.

     5)    Cinnamon stick – 1 inch piece

     6)    Red chili powder – ½ teaspoon

     7)    Garlic – 3 cloves

     8)    Ghee (clarified butter) – 1½ tablespoons

     9)    Water – 400 ml.

     10)    Salt – 1 teaspoon

To Cook:

          Wash and soak the rice. Peel the tomatoes. Remove the seeds and chop finely. Peel the onion and chop to fine pieces. Peel the garlic cloves and chop to fine pieces. Set a thick stainless steel wok on the stove. Pour in the ghee. Chuck in the tomato, the onion and the garlic pieces together with the clove and the cinnamon stick. Roast slowly on low heat stirring frequently until the tomatoes and onions are tender.

          Now add the chili powder and pour in the water. Add the salt. When it comes to a boil, add the soaked rice after draining off the water. When it boils again, lower the heat and cover. Check and stir every few minutes to avoid sticking at the base. Taste and adjust the seasoning. When the water is fully absorbed, the rice will be cooked. Your delicious tomato rice is now ready to eat. You can garnish with freshly cut tomato rings. Serve hot.

          Children love tomato rice. It is simple to prepare, easy to digest and good to carry on picnics or on short journeys or simply in your lunch box. If you have unexpected visitors for lunch, you can easily prepare fine tomato rice in less than 20 minutes time.

Enjoy!!!