Pulinkoottan / Easy Tomato curry

Ingredients (Serves 6)

Recipe courtesy – Sree’s Veg Menu

1. Coconut oil – 2 – 3 tsp
2. Onion/shallots – 1/2 cup
3. Tomato – 1.5 medium, cubed
4. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
5. Chili powder – 3/4 tsp
6. Sambar powder – 2 – 3 tsp
7. Tamarind – 3/4 – 1 tsp
8. Asafoetida / hing / kaya podi – 1 – 2 pinches
9. Jaggery – 1/4 – 1/2 tsp
10. Curry leaves – A few
11. Salt – To taste
12. Hot water – 1 cup or as required

To season

13. Coconut oil – 2 tsp
14. Mustard seeds – 3/4 tsp
15. Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tsp
16. Dried red chilies – 2, broken
17. Curry leaves – A few

Method

Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a saucepan or clay pot. Add onion/shallots,  a pinch of salt and cook till onion turns translucent. Add tomato, salt and cook till soft. Next add turmeric powder, chilli powder, sambar powder and cook for 2 minutes. Lastly add tamarind and jaggery. Cook for a minute and switch off the flame. Set aside to cool completely. Grind to a fine paste in the small jar of a blender.

Add the ground paste to the saucepan and add a cup of hot water. Bring to a boil. Add salt, to taste. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes over medium heat and switch off the flame.

Heat 2- 3 tsp coconut oil in a small pan. Splutter mustard seeds and fry dried red chilies and fenugreek seeds. Stir till fenugreek seeds turn reddish. Add a few curry leaves and stir for a few seconds till crisp. Pour this seasoning over the curry. Keep covered for 10 minutes. Serve with hot rice.