Stuffed Tomatoes

So, I started making dinner this morning at 9:30 AM. I don't always do that, I just figured that since I was making a new dish, I should take a head start. One of my husband's favourite combinations is rajma-chawal with stuffed tomatoes. I learnt this only recently after spending two weeks with my in-laws in Ambala, Haryana. I was halfway through stuffing the tomatoes when I remembered that I started this blog yesterday, and that I should probably post an entry or something. Although I don't have any visual references for the process of making stuffed tomatoes, here's what it entails:

Stuffed Tomatoes (serves 2-3)

• 6 small firm tomatoes for stuffing
• 1-2 extra tomatoes for the sauce
• 1 medium sized boiled potato (with skin removed)
• 1 medium sized finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup paneer (cottage cheese)
• 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
• 1 tsp haldi (turmeric)
• 1 tsp lal mirch powder (red chili powder)
• 1 dhania powder (coriander powder)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil

To stuff the tomatoes, it naturally follows that they should be hollow. To do this, poke a knife into the top of a tomato and cut out a little circle. Stick your finger inside and pull out the seeds and juice. Keep these aside in a bowl because you will need them to make the sauce.  For 6 tomatoes you will need about 2/3 cup of tomato guts to make the sauce. You probably wont get that much by hollowing simply 6 tomatoes, so chop up the extra one (or two).

Put half the chopped onion, the tomato guts and the extra chopped tomato into a blender. Add only 1/2 tsp of each of the spices, except for the jeera. Throw in a bit of salt to your liking, as well as a dash of black pepper, then hit the puree button. Keep this aside for later.

For the stuffing, combine the boiled potato, paneer, the rest of the chopped onion and the remainder of the spices, except the jeera. Mush everything up using a fork, or your hand, or whatever makes you comfortable. Add a bit of salt and black pepper. Now, stuff this into the tomatoes. Really pack it in there but don't overstuff! The tomatoes should be full, but not bursting.

Put the tomatoes into a kadai, or wok, along with the olive oil and (finally) the jeera. The tomatoes should be facing up or on their sides so that the stuffing doesn't fall out. Let them roast a little - about 2-3 minutes - but keep an eye on the skin. It shouldn't start falling off, or bursting. The tomatoes should become little softer without falling apart. Feel free to keep turning them around so that different sides get roasted. Now add the sauce into the same kadai (pour it over the tops of the tomatoes too) and let it all cook for another 3-4 minutes. You can also do this in the microwave, but you'll have to add the sauce in with the tomatoes from the start, and it will require about 8-9 mintues on medium-high setting. One down side to this is that the tomatoes wont have that roasted flavour, but they'll still be tasty :)

This can served with plain rice, or as a side dish. Tuck in!

*Thanks very much to my mother-in-law for showing me how this is done!