Stuffed Tomato with a Twist

Sometimes beautiful friendships start with a simple and kind gesture. My husband, 2 years ago helped a stranger (looking for a job) get a job. Well, all he did was tell her about a job opening at some place and when she applied for it, she got the job. She and her husband wanted to treat my husband and me (with kids) to an ice-cream. We met and liked them instantly. They invited us to their house very recently over dinner when their parents were visiting so that we could meet them. It was not only a fun-filled and awesome evening but was also an extremely delicious one too.

Ever since I moved from Bangalore, I have been craving for some very authentic Andhra food. Not the usual Idli, Dosa, Uttapam stuff but the lesser-known but more authentic stuff Andhra cuisine is known for. And my craving finally met its match after 11 long years. What a culinary delight that evening was! Out of all the things, one of the dish that was finger licking good was this Stuffed Tomato recipe. Even though it is not an authentic Andhra recipe and rather a fusion of all the places they have lived in(Pune, Rajasthan and Bangalore), it was every bit delicious and unique.

The unique thing about this Stuffed tomato with a twist is that it has a twist 🙂 . The stuffing, unlike other stuffed tomato or capsicum dishes, is the gravy itself. Try this beautiful and unique dish and impress your guests.

PS: Thank you Sangeetha and Aunty for this awesome, finger licking recipe.

Stuffed Tomato with a Twist

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 5-6 people

Ingredients

  • 3 big round tomatoes ( I used beefsteak variety)
    • For the stuffing
  • 1 big round tomato (Apart from the above 3)
  • 1 big red Onion
  • 2 tbsp. Oil
  • 2 Cloves
  • 3 (non spicy) green chili
  • 1 tsp Fennel seeds
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp Poppy seeds
  • 1/4 and 1/8 cup Gram Flour
  • 3 green Cardamom
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 3 tbsp. Oil (apart from the above 2 tbsp.)
  • 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp Coriander powder
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
    • For the gravy
  • 5 tbsp. Oil
  • 1 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 10 big Curry leaves
  • 2 cups Water
  • 1/2 and 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp red Chili Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
  • Cilantro to garnish
    • For the remaining gravy

Instructions

    For the Stuffing
  1. Cut the cap off of 3 tomatoes up till 3/4th. Do not cut it all the way through.
  2. Remove the seeds and pulp from tomatoes and make it hollow for the stuffing.Keep them aside.
  3. In a pan, add 2 tbsp. oil and cook the onion until translucent. Add them to a blender.
  4. Add the pulp of the above 3 tomatoes to blender as well.
  5. Chop one tomato roughly and add to blender as well. Add Cloves, green chilies, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom and cilantro to blender and blend all into a smooth paste.
  6. In a pan, roast besan/gram flour until it changes color and keep aside.
  7. In a wok, add 3 tbsp. oil. When hot, add mustard seeds and let it crackle.
  8. Add the blended paste to it and cook well. Add salt, red chili, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala and besan to it. Cook well until it leaves oil. Turn off the stove. Let the mixture cool down completely.
  9. Spoon the above mixture into all the 3 tomatoes. The remaining mixture will make the gravy.
    10. For the gravy
  10. To a pan, add 5 tbsp. oil. To it, add mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add curry leaves and let them splutter too. To this add the remaining mixture. Add salt, red chili, coriander powder and water and let it come to a boil. Add the 3 tomatoes gently to it with the cap side up and let it cook covered on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until tomatoes are soft.
  11. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with Roti or Rice.

Notes

I chose beefsteak variety for a few reasons- 1. They are strong enough to hold their shape while being cooked. 2. Their bottom is flat so they rest in the an very nicely without toppling. 3. They are a beautiful bright red color. 4. They are not too sour. However, they are too big to be served to one person and had to be cut in half while serving. Even though the stuffing was thick enough to stay put and the taste was not at all compromised, the presentation was.If possible, I would prefer a similar variety of tomato half the size that can be served as it is.

When you are cooking the stuffed tomatoes in the gravy, make sure the pan is wide enough that tomatoes are not under the gravy but atleast an inch outside the gravy like in the picture above.

If you cook the tomatoes on high heat or for too long, they will crack and fall apart.

https://www.morethancurry.com/stuffed-tomato-twist/

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