Tomato Subzi
This Tomato Subzi is a vibrant, quick-cooking dish that celebrates the bold acidity and sweetness of vine-ripened tomatoes. It’s a "pantry staple" hero—perfect for those days when the vegetable basket is empty but you crave a hot, flavorful meal. A generous amount of firm, red tomatoes is sautéed until they break down into a luscious, jammy consistency. A savory tempering of mustard seeds, cumin, and hing (asafoetida) provides an earthy foundation, while a touch of jaggery or sugar balances the natural tartness. While it’s a classic companion to soft phulkas or parathas, it also doubles as a zesty accompaniment to simple Dal-Chawal.
Equipment
- 1 Kadai
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 tomatoes chopped
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 cup tamarind extract
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp rai or mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 4-5 kadi patta or curry leaves
- 1/4 tsp hing or asafetida
- 1 tsp kashmiri lal mirch
- 1/4 tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- 2 tbsps sambar powder
- 1 tsp sugar or 2 tsps. jaggery powder
- chopped coriander for garnish
Instructions
- In a kadai put oil and when it becomes hot put in the rai.
- Once the rai splutters put in the urad dal, hing and kadi patta.
- Once the urad dal becomes light golden put in the chopped onions and saute for 2-3 minutes until the onions become transluscent.
- Add in the ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 mins until the raw smell goes away.
- Now add in the chopped tomatoes and saute. Put in salt to taste and mix. This will help the tomatoes to cook down fast. Now cover the lid and let the onions and tomatoes cook with the lid on for 2-3 mins until the tomatoes become soft.
- After 2 mins add in the sukha masalas – kashmiri lal mirch, haldi and sambar powder and saute for a 1 minute. If the masala is becoming too dry add 2-3 tbsps of water. Cover and let the masala cook for 2-3 mins until the oil seperates.
- Now add in the tamarind extract and let it cook for 2 mins. To remove the tamarind extract soak a lemon size tamarind ball in 1 cup hot water for 1/2 an hour. Then pulp it, strain it and use the strained water in the recipe. Discard the pulp.
- Now stir in the sugar or jaggery and mix well.
- Garnish with chopped coriander.
Notes
The sugar or jaggery powder helps balance the flavors.