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Something to tom-tom about JUICY tomatoes are an integral part of every chef’s menu.These are used for making delicious soups, juices, salads, curries and food decoration. Pickle, chutney and puree are some of the ways to enjoy this vegetable when these are hard to get. According to ayurveda, tomato is light, juicy ,warm, a stimulant, an appetiser, laxative, anti-flatulent and helps to abate a cough. It has high content of vitamin A and its Vitamin C content is not destroyed easily. Moreover, it is also an excellent source of iron and a good provider of phosphorus, calcium, potassium, sulphur, magnesium, chlorine, sodium and iodine. Tomatoes have very little carbohydrate content, thus making them good for diabetics and weight watchers.The vegetable is also good for anaemics. It also strengthens teeth and gums. Though tomatoes are mostly used
to lend flavour and colour to dishes, this week we have got some recipies where
this vegetable is used independently and these would surely add colour to your
culinary skills. |
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Ingredients: Tomatoes (medium sized) 8-10 Potatoes 6-7 Bread Slices 3 Onion (Chopped) 1 Chopped green chillies
and coriander leaves Method: Boil potatoes in salted water and mash. Add bread slices to the mashed potatoes and mix well to form a smooth dough. Add salt, red chilli powder and keep aside. Cut the top of the tomatoes and scoop out the pulp without breaking the tomatoes. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry onions and green chillies. Add tomato pulp and fry for some time. Add 1 tbsp mashed potato and peas and cook the mixture till it is dry. Add spices and remove from fire. Stuff it in the tomatoes. Divide the remaining potato mixture in 8-10 portions and cover the stuffed tomatoes with mashed potatoes. Shape into balls. Roll each ball in cornflour and deep fry in hot oil till crisp and brown. For serving, cut each tomato into two equal halves and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Candy Tomato pulp 500 gm Sugar 500 gm Butter or ghee 60 gm Salt 1 tsp Citric Acid 1 gm Dessicated coconut 1 tbsp Castor sugar 1 tbsp Method: Cook ripe, red tomatoes till soft and strain the pulp. Put the tomato pulp in a heavy-bottomed pan and cook. Add sugar, butter and citric acid till a thick mass is obtained. Cook till it leaves the sides of the pan. Spread it on a greased plate and cut into cubes when cooled. Roll each cube in coconut and castor sugar mix. Store in airtight containers. Tamatar shahana Tomatoes (medium sized) 8 Shelled peas ½ cup Onion (chopped) 1 Keema 50 gm Ghee 1 tbsp Cream 3 tbsp Salt & pepper to taste Sugar 1 tsp For Curry: Onions 2 Ginger, garlic paste 2 tsp Coriander powder 1 tbsp Cumin powder ½ tbsp Garam masala 1 tsp Chilli Powder ½ tsp Turmeric ½ tsp Chopped coriander leaves Method: Wash and wipe the tomatoes. Cut a small slice from the top of each tomato to form a lid. Scoop out the pulp with a spoon and reserve. Mix salt, pepper, chilli powder and sugar. Sprinkle a little of this mixture in each of the tomatoes. Invert and keep aside for 20 minutes. To prepare the filling, boil the peas and pressure cook the keema. Heat ghee and fry onions till transparent. Add the boiled peas and stir for some time. Add keema and fry for 1 minute. Stir in the cream and cook for 5-7 min. Add salt, pepper and green chillies. Cook till oil separates. Fill this in the tomatoes and cover with lids. Bake these in a pre-heated oven at 190°C for 15-20 minutes. Curry: Heat oil and fry onion and ginger-garlic paste till golden brown. Add the masalas and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato pulp, salt and red chillies and cook till oil separates. Add 1 glass of water and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from fire and add garam masala and chopped coriander leaves. Arrange tomatoes in a dish and pour the gravy on top. Garnish. Tomato sausages Sausages ½ kg Onion (sliced) 2 Tomatoes (chopped) 2
Tomato puree 125 gm Water ½ cup For topping: Self-raising flour 3/4 cup Egg 1 Milk ½ cup Oil 1½ tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped) 1 tbsp Method: Heat oil in a karahi and cook suasages until golden brown all over. Place these in an ovenproof dish. Fry onions till transparent. Add tomatoes, puree and water and stir till it comes to a boil. Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes. Pour it over sausages. Prepare topping by combining sifted flour with sugar, cornmeal and coriander leaves. Add egg, milk and oil to it and mix well. Spread the topping evenly over tomato mixture to cover completely. Bake in moderate oven for 30 minutes. Tomato rice Rice 2 cups Tomato pieces 2½ cups Onions (sliced) 2½ cups Coconut (grated) 1 cup Peas (shelled) ½ cup Black pepper ¾ tsp Cloves 3 Cardamoms 3 Salt 1 tsp Sugar 1 tsp Oil 2 tbsp Hot water 3 cups Method: Wash the rice, drain and keep aside. Heat the oil. Put black pepper and powdered spices in the oil and fry. Add sliced onions and fry for sometime. Now pat rice in the fried mixture and fry for 5-10 minutes. Then put tomato pieces, salt, sugar, grated coconut and peas. Fry for some more time. Add hot water and cover with a lid. Let the rice cook on slow fire. Serve hot and garnish with fried onions and coriander leaves. What to do if your family fusses about tomato skin pieces in gravy? If you need just one or two tomatoes for a dish, pierce the tomato with a fork or skewer and hold it over an open gas flame turning it round all the time. In a few seconds the skin will burst. Remove from flame and when cool enough to handle, peel off the skin, it will come off easily with no pulp adhering to it. However, if the number of tomatoes is more then put these in hot water and let them remain in it for 1-2 minutes. Plunge these in a bowl of cold water and peel. Do remember that tomato peel is
indigestible and a valuable source of fibre. Use peeled tomatoes and
tomato puree quickly as exposure to light and air reduces the amount of
vitamin C in tomatoes.
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