Stuffed tomato in rich gravy

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Is tomato a vegetable or a fruit? Debate continues. Who cares! Aap Aam khao, pedh kyoun gin na? Tomato is used in many recipes for its sour taste and its color also. Tomatoes are used to make rasam, sambhar, salad, chutney, juice and even the  face pack. And it comes handy when we are out of vegetables in the fridge. But only thing is the tomatoes should be ripe and firm. Normally hybrid (salad) tomatoes are used to make this stuffed style. As these tomatoes are firm and don't have juicy pulp inside and they taste sweet also.

I avoid tomatoes as much as possible as my hubby has kidney stone problem. I replace tomato with kokam, lemon, tamarind, curds or dry mango. But tomato is tomato, it has its own texture, color and taste.

A very easy and rich food which looks great on dining table and tastes great too. Let's start the recipe.

SERVES 3

Ingredients:

Fully ripe red hybrid tomatoes - 6

Onion - 1 big or two medium

Red dry chilly - 4 to 6

Almond powder - 1/4 cup or less

ginger - 1/2" piece

garlic cloves - 3-4

or ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp

(you can drop garlic and use only ginger also)

Fresh coriander - handful

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Rock salt - as per taste(use the normal salt also if you don't have the rock salt)

Whenever possible I use rock salt as it's better than the table salt and tastes great)

Haldi or turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

dry methi or kasuri methi - 1 tsp

Fresh cream - 1/4 cup

Oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp to roast the onions

Water to grind into paste

Method:

• Clean, peel and chop the onions.
• Fry onion and dry red chilly with a tsp of oil till brown, add ginger and garlic also before you take it off the stove.
• Keep it to cool in a plate.
• Wash and wipe the tomatoes.
• Trim the stem end of tomatoes carefully to get a flat opening. With a small round spoon take out the pulp slowly without disturbing Its firmness. If pulp is not very watery you can use it in the masala.

• Take the fried stuff, salt, chilly powder, haldi and grind into a little coarse paste.
• Remove in a plate. Check the taste and adjust accordingly.
• Now, stuff the tomatoes with this masala. Once all are stuffed, some more masala will be left out.
• Take non stick kadai (I use pans from Sanjeev Kapoor's wonderchef product which was gifted by my brother. The pans are magical) or a normal one.
• Heat oil in the kadai. Once hot, add the stuffed tomatoes slowly and close with the lid for few minutes. Cook on a slow flame. Open the lid and add the remaining masala. Mix slowly. Close the lid again and cook for 3-4minutes.

• Till that take the fresh cream and beat it with the beater or fork or small blender. Add the cream, garam masala and kasuri methi. Mix gently and cook for a minute. Remove from the stove. Serve hot with phulka, chapati or naan. 
• Note: You can add fresh scrambled paneer in masala. 

Keep Smiling, 

NOODLES IN TOMATO BASKET

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

ONLY PHOTOS SPEAK IN THIS POST :-)

Steamed tomato baskets..

Keep Smiling,

Egg boats and Tomato boats

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

This is one of the  best starter in my menu for any party or for kids lunch, which suits kids and event the elders. But I have always seen that kids love to eat these cups. And it is a very good way to feed a kid who does not like to eat the yolk.

And if you do not eat egg, there is an option to substitute and make these wonderful boats with Tomatoes as starters.

Very easy and quick to make:

Ingredients :

For Egg boats :

Eggs - 4 (big), hard boiled

Onion - 1 big, finely chopped

Oil - 1 tbsp

Tomato - 1 big,  small cubes

Green chilly - 1 finely chopped 

OR

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp 

Fresh coriander leaves - handful, chopped finely

Salt to taste + salt to sprinkle on the eggs

Oregano powder - 1/4 tsp

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Mozeralla Cheese - 1/4 cup grated to garnish(optional)

(I did not add this time, as I did not get it any where near my place!! :-(   )

Peel the eggs. Cut in to half to make boat shapes. 

Remove the egg yolk and crush it into powder, keep it aside.

 Heat oil in a kadai.

Add the chopped onions. Fry till brown. Add Pepper powder or(green chilly, if adding), oregano and salt to taste. Mix well. Add crushed egg yolk. Cook for a minute by stirring.Remove from the heat.

Now add chopped tomato, Fresh coriander leaves and lime juice. Adjust the seasoning. 

Keep this mix ready.

Before serving,

Arrange the eggs on a serving plate. 

Sprinkle the salt very carefully and not more.

Fill the cups with the ready mix. 

Top it with grated cheese.(optional)

Serve as a starter.

 For Tomato boats:

Big tomatoes - 4

Mozzarella cheese - 1/4 cup, grated(optional,but tastes good)

Onion - 1 big, finely chopped

Oil - 1 tbsp

Boiled potato - 1 big,  crushed

Green chilly - 1 finely chopped 

OR

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp 

Fresh coriander leaves - handful, chopped finely

Salt to taste + salt to sprinkle on the tomato base

Oregano powder - 1/4 tsp

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Clean the tomatoes. Cut in to half (into boat shapes). De seed the tomatoes. Keep the tomato cups or boats ready.

Heat oil in a kadai.

Add the chopped onions. Fry till brown. Add Pepper powder or(green chilly, if adding), oregano and salt to taste. Mix well. Add crushed potato. Cook for a minute by stirring.Remove from the heat.

Now add chopped tomato, Fresh coriander leaves and lime juice. Adjust the seasoning. 

Keep this mix ready.

Before serving,

Arrange the tomato cups or boats on a serving plate. 

Sprinkle the salt very carefully by taking care not to put  more.

Fill the cups with the ready mix.

Top with cheese 

Serve as a starter.

I am sure you have to run to the kitchen to make some more for the next round!

These boats are rowing to two events,

Umm's (of Taste of Pearl City)'s 

Iftar Moments Hijri 1431Event Announcement

AND

Pari's 'Only' Kids Delight

Keep Smiling,

Tomato Rasam Cubes

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 

Hi All,

Even though I had many urgent drafts to post in my blog for events(including mine which lasts on 25th), I could not wait to post this. I was so thrilled after I tried this and clicked the photos in the afternoon. Past one week, I was thinking about these cubes, but was not able to make.

When I read the event in Jaya's blog, I wanted to participate with some different recipe. I am not sure, whether this is an unique one, but for me its new. I am not a frozen (food) person. I always love to have fresh food. But frozen foods are boon to working mothers or really busy persons. And this one is really a healthy frozen food to preserve and use it.

I have tried to put it step by step photos. 

Ingredients :

Tomato - 6 to 8, big, grated ( do not chop or puree)

Ginger -2 tbsp, grated

Curry leaves - 20

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

Pepper - 1 tbsp

Hing - 1/2 tsp

Crush the cumin seeds, pepper and hing and keep aside

Lemon - 1 big

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Red Chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Fresh Coriander powder - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Fresh coriander powder - hand full, chopped

Heat oil in a thick bottomed deep vessel. Keep it on a medium heat. Add mustard seeds and wait till seeds splutter. 

Add grated ginger, curry leaves and crushed powder. Fry it for a minute. 

Add grated tomato. Fry for 2 minutes. 

Now add salt, sugar, turmeric powder,red chilly powder and fresh coriander powder. Mix it properly and let it cook for 5 minutes. 

Add Lime juice and fresh coriander. 

Cook for few more minutes. 

DO NOT ADD WATER AS THIS HAS TO BE PRESERVED. Check the taste. It should be strong and spicy as we are going to add water to the cubes to make it into rasam. So adjust the seasoning according to your taste.

Allow it to cool. Fill in the ice cube tray.

Try to take the tray with the lid or cover as the curry smell will get into the freezer. If you do not have lid, cover it with foil.

Keep it in the freezer for 6 to 8 hours. Or according to the capacity of your fridge. 

Once set, Remove the cubes.

Store in a air tight jar in the freezer. You can keep it for a week to 10 days at least.

This quantity makes 8 big cubes. You can vary the quantity according to your requirement.

When ever you need to make rasam, remove the required cubes. Boil the water in a vessel (1:2) Add the cubes and cook for few minutes. Adjust the seasoning. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve it with hot rice.

These cubes are going to the event  Back to basics  held by Jaya of  Desi Soccer Mom . 

AND

PJ'S ONGOING EVENT

Healing Foods -Event Announcement which is started by Siri  (Healing foods)

Keep Smiling,

Tomato and carrot soup

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

A simple soup for the soul suffering from cold and cough!!!

This is my elder daughter's favorite!

Tomatoes - 3 big or 8 to 10 small(as in photo)

Carrot - 1 big

Onion - 1 small

Ginger - 1/2" 

Bay leaf - 1

Keep all the above ingredients in a cooker and give 3 whistles. When cool, open the lid. discard the ginger and bay leaf. 

Put the boiled tomato and carrot in a blender for 30 seconds and sieve it to remove the tomato seeds. Keep it aside.

For soup powder,

Dry ginger powder -1/2 tsp

Roasted jeera powder - 1tsp

White pepper powder - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar - 1 tbsp

Butter - 2 tsp 

Butter - 1 tsp to garnish

Heat butter in a kadai, add the tomato and carrot puree. Boil it. When the first boil starts, add all the powders. Boil for 3 more minutes. Garnish with butter and serve hot!

This is going participate in Event Announcement held by Usha of Veg Inspirations.

Keep Smiling,

C.C? K.P? S.C OR C.C again!? What's there in A name?

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Call it Chilli Chapati, Chilli paratha, kuttu paratha, spicy Chapati!!! What's there in a name! The taste is the same! Delicious!!! 

Last week when Nithu posted Chilli Paratha, I was tempted to make it the same time! I went in the kitchen knowing that I do not have frozen parathas in the fridge. But I knew Ajjiri is going to make chapatis. I told her to make thick chapatis and keep ready.  I promised Nithu that I will come back with the review.(Sorry for the delay, Neetu!)

I have read many blogs who posted same recipe. 

One, I remember is PJ's  CHILLI CHAPTHI, where she added soya sauce. And my sis-in-law tried this recipe and was so happy with the taste.

Now, coming to my recipe,

I tasted this first in UAE. My co-sister brought chicken Kuttu paratha  from "Deira Dubai Appa Kadai restaurant" and told me to taste it. And it was just superb. I did not share it with anyone! Selfish no! but the taste was like that. She told me that we get the vegetarian kuttu paratha in Sharavana bhavan in Abu shagarah in Sharjah. Very next evening I went there and ordered one plate of same! And I just loved it.

Thinking why writing all  the area names? I am missing Sharjah, Abu dhabi and Dubai(the whole UAE) for food!

Coming back to the story,

When I went to the kitchen .....

I got cabbage, capsicum and carrots in the fridge. I thought of using all these.

So here goes the recipe,

Ready chapatis - 10 to 12, cut into pieces.

Oil 1 tbsp

Heat oil in a kadai, Fry the chapatis till they are just crispy and keep it aside.

Oil - 2 tbsp

Jeera or cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Cabbage - 1/2 cup, shredded

Carrot - 1 big, julienned,

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Capsicum - 1 big or 2 small, cut into length

Green chilly - 2 cut into long 

Tomato puree - made of 2 tomatoes(I do not get ready paste, so I boiled the tomatoes in a microwave for 2 minutes and blend it into puree

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Red chilly  powder - 1 tsp

Madras curry powder - 1 tbsp(it gives unique taste to this chilli paratha, if you do not have, use the normal curry powder or skip it)

Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai, Add jeera and curry leaves with onion. Let onion fry till it changes its color, add ginger garlic paste. Fry for a minute and add cabbage, carrot and capsicum. Fry for two minutes. Transfer this in to a bowl or plate. Add tomato puree in the same kadai. When it starts boiling add all the dry powders and green chilly. Fry for a minute. Return back the fried vegetables into kadai. Mix it properly. Now goes the chapati pieces. Again mix properly so that the masala gets mix with chapati pieces. Cook for a minute. Garnish with fresh coriander. 

My chilli chapati or call it any name! is ready to eat!! 

Keep smiling,

Loving heart to win you all!(Sandwich)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Do not get confused with the title of the post! I am sometimes crazy! I did not wanted to give a normal name to this one!

Is there anything easiest and tasty, healthy(if you use brown bread) and quick food to have when you are really very hungry and can not wait to stand and cook!!

It is bachelor's first love!! And kids adore this! I just love it!!! Am I too dramatic??? 

Do I need to give the recipe for this???

I hope no!!!

The ingredients I used here is

Bread - 4 to make 2 sandwiches

(Brown bread is best, but I do not get in my place(I love the brown bread), so I used the white bread)

Butter - any brand of your choice

Cabbage leaves - 2 (one for each)

You can use lettuce also(again, same problem, I do not get in my place, I need to goto city to get them!!!)

Tomato - 1 cut into round slices

Ohh! I forgot to give the green chutney recipe,

Its simple!

Fresh coriander - 1 bunch, washed,cleaned and chopped

Mint leaves or Pudina - 1/2 bunch, washed, cleaned and chopped

Green chilly - 1 long

Jeera - 1 tsp

Transfer the above ingredients in a grinder and grind into a fine paste.

Remove it to a bowl. 

Seasoning ingredients:

Salt to taste

Lime juice - 1 tbsp

Mix these both to a ready paste, and the green chutney is ready to go into the sandwich.

I am sending this loving heart to two lovely ladies. Let's see whose heart it will win???

First,  this is going to Radhika Vasanth 's Event Announcement: Food for 7 Stages of Life - Healthy Fast Food

As per the rule I am linking it to Sudeshna’s 

Cook like a bong page also.

 

Only one thing you have add here is boiled potato to make it little healthy, it is not in the photo. 

And then again it is going to

PJ's The 'no cook' event! 

(without the boiled potato of course!)

It is perfect for no cook event. Don't you think so?

Enjoy it any time!

Keep Smiling,

Remixed dosa and onion sabji for the event.

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

As I have already done this before, one more remixing of my posts for the event. 

Actually this is my daughter's favorite lunch, which she loves to take often. So I thought of remixing two recipes and sending this to RV's event.

For Dosa recipe, ( for previous recipe, click here)

In first entry I make large dosas, but my daughter likes to take mini dosas as they remain soft till lunch time, I started making mini dosa.                           

Raw rice - 2 cup

Urad dal - 1 cup

Tomato - 2 big, chopped

Red dry chilly - 2

Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Salt to taste

Oil to make dosas

                                                                                                  

OR

You can skip all masalas and add only tomatoes while grinding the atta. This also tastes good.                                                         

Soak the rice and urad dal for 4 to 6 hours. Before grinding, wash both and add other ingredients except oil. Keep it over night or 8 hours.

Heat tava, spread the batter to make mini dosas. Spread ghee or butter on dosas. You can make 3 to 4 mini dosas at a time. Remove it and keep aside.

Now coming to Onion subji recipe, (for previous recipe, click here)

Onion – 1 big (Chopped lengthwise)

Tomato – 1big (Chopped finely)

Curry leaves – 4 to 6

Chilly powder – 1 tbsp

Mustard seed – ½ tsp

Crushed peanut and almonds – ¼ cup(crushed to big pieces)
(If you like add cashew nuts also), optional

Jeera – ½ tsp                                                                      

Salt to taste                                                                                                     

Haldi -1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Hing – a pinch

Sugar – 1 tsp

Fresh coriander – 1 tbsp

Only extra ingredient in this is adding Crushed Cinnamon stick - 1 big, which really gives an unique taste.

Add mustard seeds and jeera in hot oil. Now add curry leaves, hing and onions with crushed nuts. Cook till brown, add tomato. Let it cook till oil separates. Add Chilly powder, salt, sugar and haldi. Add little water and boil it for five minutes. Mix with chopped fresh coriander.

Pack both together for lunch box. 

I want to send this lunch box  to RV's  Food for 7 Stages of Life - Kids Special Event Announcement 

and it is essential to give credits to Sudeshna of

 Sudeshna’s Cook like a bong(http://bengalicuisine.net) page.

Keep smiling,