My love for the love apples (Tomatoes)

I just love tomatoes in any form, cooked,uncooked,sliced,pured etc.. sometimes I just eat it raw with a pinch of salt..They are yummy!! I feel that there is nothing yummier than a glass of ice cold tomato juice on a hot sweaty day...

Of course the obsession with tomatoes ends with me in my family. My hubby makes it a point to dislike anything I love! I have to turn the house upside down to make him eat my tomato dishes..How sad for me...It might be because of the tiny mistake I made while I made tomato juice for him long long ago...I accidentally put tonnes of salt instead of just a pinch...and then insisted him to drink it up till I realized my mistake....I guess this was the second nightmare I gave him. :D
The only way I get him to eat tomatoes is in this pachadi format..Its spicy and tasty..hope you guys like it as much as I do..



Tomato Pachadi / Cooked Tomato Raita

Ingredients:

1) Large tomatoes    - 3 cubed into small pieces
2) green chillies        - 2 slit into 2 halves
3) red chilli powder  - 1 to 2 tsp (according to spice level)
4) Turmeric powder - half tsp
4) Hing/asafoetida    - a pinch
5) cumin seeds          - half a tsp
6) salt to taste
7) Corriander leaves - to garnish
8) Grated coconut     - 1 tbsp (optional)
9) oil                          - 1 tsp
10) Beaten curd/
thick butter milk       - 1 cup

Method:

1) Heat the oil in a pan and add cumin seeds to it.

2) When cumin seeds start sputtering, add a pinch of hing and green chillies.

3) Saute for a min and add the chopped tomatoes and give it a good stir to coat the oil evenly.

4) Add some salt and give it a stir. Adding salt at this point helps to cook the tomatoes faster.

5) Stir occassionaly and cook till the tomatoes are well done.Add chili powder and turmeric. Cook for 2 or 3 mins.

6) The cooked tomatoes should look like a thick paste. Add chopped corriander at this point, give it a good stir and remove from heat. Just before removing from heat you can add the coconut and let it cook for a min. It is optional, I dont usually add coconut to this dish, but it enhances the texture of the raita.

7) Place it in a bowl and allow it to cool down.

8) Add beaten curd to this and stir well.

Delicious and spicy tomato raita is ready. You can serve it as side dish for pulaos, fried rice,chapathis, parathas...I like to eat it just like that!