Romy Gill’s recipes for Indian-style tomatoes | Food

Tomatoes are a staple in Indian cooking, bringing vibrant color, tanginess, a little bit sweetness and depth to numerous recipes. Their sheer versatility usually helps convey a dish collectively, whereas their pure acidity balances spices superbly. Agency ripe tomatoes are important in cooking, as a result of they maintain their texture higher, launch solely simply sufficient juice with out turning mushy, and in addition present that essential steadiness between candy and bitter. Right now’s two dishes are prime examples of Indian dwelling cooking and luxury meals at its finest.Tamatar rice (rice cooked in tomatoes and spices; pictured prime)Serve this with any dal or meat curry, although if you happen to ask me it’s finest eaten by itself with yoghurt or a tomato raita – to make the latter, combine a small chopped, deseeded tomato into 150g yoghurt, then stir in 25ml milk, a small handful of chopped recent coriander, a teaspoon of toasted crushed cumin seeds and season to style.Prep 10 minSoak 15 minCook 30 minServes 4250g basmati rice250g agency ripe tomatoes (about 2 giant ones), roughly chopped6 tsp melted ghee20g cashew nuts1 tsp black mustard seeds1 tsp cumin seeds10-12 recent curry leaves2 banana shallots, peeled and thinly sliced1 tsp saltJuice of ½ lemonYoghurt, to serveSoak the rice in chilly water for quarter-hour, then drain and rinse totally below the chilly faucet.Put the chopped tomatoes in a blender and blitz clean. As soon as pureed, pressure by means of a sieve right into a bowl, reserving the liquid for later.Put two teaspoons of melted ghee in a large pan or wok for which you’ve a lid, put it on a low warmth, then flippantly toast the cashew nuts – elevate them out as quickly as they begin to change color. Add the remaining 4 teaspoons of melted ghee to the identical pan, tip within the mustard and cumin seeds and, as quickly as they begin to pop, stir within the curry leaves and thinly sliced shallots. Flip up the warmth to excessive and prepare dinner, stirring, for 3 minutes.Pour within the reserved tomato liquid, prepare dinner over a medium warmth for 4 minutes, then add the salt and rice, and stir to mix. Pour in 450ml just-boiled water, convey every part to a boil, then flip down the warmth and stir within the toasted cashew nuts and lemon juice. Cowl the pan with a lid and depart to prepare dinner for eight minutes – the concept is to let the rice soak up all of the liquid, so don’t contact it.After eight minutes, take the pan off the warmth and depart to relaxation for at the least 5 minutes earlier than serving.Tamatar ki sabzi (tomato curry)Prep 10 minCook 35 minServes 3-430ml rapeseed oil1 tsp cumin seeds1 tsp black mustard seeds10-12 recent curry leaves1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced20g piece recent ginger, peeled and lower into julienne strips3 inexperienced finger chillies, slit open lengthways475g agency ripe tomatoes, lower into quarters1 tsp sea salt1 tsp floor turmeric1 tsp sambar powder1 tsp brown sugar15g chopped recent coriander leaves, to garnishRice or bread, to servePut the oil in a deep, broad saucepan on a medium warmth, and add the cumin and mustard seeds. As quickly as they begin to pop, add the curry leaves and sliced onion, and prepare dinner, stirring, over a excessive warmth for 3 minutes. Add the ginger and inexperienced chillies, prepare dinner, nonetheless stirring, for 2 minutes extra, then flip down the warmth to medium, add the tomatoes and prepare dinner, stirring often, for 5 minutes.Stir within the salt, turmeric, sambar powder and sugar, then pour in 500ml just-boiled water and depart to bubble away gently for 10 minutes.Take off the warmth, sprinkle the chopped coriander excessive and depart to relaxation for 10 minutes. Serve with rice or bread.