Tomato trouble: Chennaiites explore new flavours amid price surge

CHENNAI: How many of you can’t imagine cooking without tomatoes? While plenty of dishes don’t require this staple ingredient, many people love adding tomatoes to their sambar, rasam, and chutneys. However, with tomato prices soaring, Chennaiites are getting creative in the kitchen, exploring alternatives to this beloved vegetable.

Recipe creator and food blogger Rajni Ram poses an important question: Are tomatoes truly essential for cooking? “Maybe not,” she says. “While tomatoes add attractive colour, flavour, and tanginess to a dish, they’re not necessary in Indian cooking. There are substitutes for the tanginess, like sour curd, tamarind paste, or lemon juice. Vegetables like pureed cauliflower can even mimic the body that tomatoes provide, though the colour can’t be replaced,” Rajni explains.

So, what are the options for cooking without tomatoes, especially given the rising prices? “There are plenty of Indian dishes that can be made without them. Dishes like Mirch ka Salan, Goddu Rasam, Aloo Gobi, Sambar, Narthangai Kuzhambu (Citron Curry), Dal Tadka, Mor Kuzhambu, and Okra Fry don’t require tomatoes. Even recipes like Palak Paneer and Matar Paneer, which usually use tomatoes, can be made with curd and chickpea flour as a base," she suggests.

For those who prefer using tomatoes, Rajni has a practical solution - “I anticipate the price hike since it’s an annual occurrence, and I freeze tomato puree when prices are lower.”

Binoja, a chartered accountant from Chennai, offers another suggestion. “Amla and tamarind can be used as substitutes for tomatoes. Amla has many health benefits too. This is the perfect time to experiment and get creative with recipes that don’t require tomatoes,” she says.

Narthangai Kuzhambu

Ingredients

Citron/ Narthangai 3 numbers (Chop 2, and squeeze the juice of one.

Tamarind paste 1 tbsp or extract pulp from gooseberry size tamarind

Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp

Salt as required

Jaggery 1 tbsp

Sesame/ Til oil 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Curry leaves a few

Asafoetida 1/2 tsp

Ingredients to be dry roasted

Raw rice 1 tbsp

Methi seeds/ fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp

Tuvar Dal/ Pigeon Peas 1 tbsp

Coriander seeds 1 tbsp

Kashmiri red chillies 3-4

Method

1. Chop 2 of the Citron into cubes, just as you would for a pickle. Remove the seeds, and set aside. Squeeze the juice of 1 citron and set aside.

2. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan or Kadai. When hot, add raw rice and methi seeds and dry roast until the rice changes colour and the fenugreek seeds turn brown and aromatic. Remove to a plate.

3. To the same kadai, add tuvar dal, coriander seeds, and Kashmiri red chillies, and dry roast until the dal begins to turn brown. Take care not to burn the dal and spices. Cool completely.

4. Transfer both the dry roasted ingredients into a blender, and grind to a powder. Set aside.

5. Now pour sesame oil into the same kadai. When hot, add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the chopped citron. Fry well in oil (important step)

6. Add turmeric powder and curry leaves and continue to fry the citron in oil. The rind of the citron should begin to discolouration and must turn soft. You should be able to cut through the rind, with the ladle.

7. Now pour the tamarind pulp, and add 1 cup water. Allow the ingredients to boil. The raw taste of the tamarind must go away, and the curry should thicken. Takes about 7 minutes on medium flame.

8. Now add salt, and the ground powder, and let it cook for a few minutes. Now add the jaggery, and stir.

8. Finally, turn off the flame, and add the reserved citron juice (important step). Stir, and the curry is ready to serve.

9. Enjoy this healthy, detox curry with hot rice, topped with ghee. Pair it with your favourite stir fry.