Thakkali kuzhambu (tomato curry) recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1. Ripe tomatoes - 4
2. Shallot (sambar onion) - 14
3. Green chili - 10
4. Sambar powder - 2 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.)
5. Coconut - 1/2
6. Mustard seed - 1 teaspoon (tsp.)
7. Curry leaf - a sprig
8. Salt - as needed
9. Oil - 3 tablespoon (tbsp.)

PREPARATION:

1. Boil enough water in a vessel and add the tomatoes to keep immersed for 20 seconds to half a minute. Take it out and you should be able to peel off the skin like just we do for potatoes.
2. Grate coconut and grind it with 1/4 cup water and strain/squeeze to get first milk using a broad metal strainer. Again add 1/4 cup lukewarm water to the coconut remain and grind again to extract second milk.
3. Keep both extracted milk separately. Mash the peeled tomatoes well with your hands.
4. Peel the shallots and slice them lengthwise.
5. Heat a pan with oil and splutter mustard. Add curry leaves, green chilies and onion. Sauté until shallot turns golden brown.
6. Add the second extracted thin coconut milk, 1 1/4 cup of water, the mashed tomatoes, sambar powder. Boil for 5-6 minutes in medium flame or until desired thick consistency is reached.
7. Lastly add the first extracted coconut milk, salt and boil until oil separates and floats on top.

NOTES:

1. You can replace sambar powder with 1 teaspoon (tsp.) red chili powder and 1 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) of coriander powder.