Tomato Mosaru Gojju / Tomato Pachadi

Siri from Siri's Corner and DK from Culinary Bazaar have recently come up with a brilliant event called OPEN SESAME!! There would be four boxes, each containing a surprise ingredient, out of which you pick one. A riddle corresponding to the ingredient in the box you choose, would be sent to you. You guess the ingredient and then post a recipe with that ingredient!! Points would be allotted to you depending on the number of chances/clues you take to guess the ingredient.... Lesser the chances, the better!! :) Interesting, isn't it??!?!! The riddle I got was:

"I think I am a pleased woman since I blush so much
I am so soft and shiny to your delicate touch
But look what I have for relatives, so different with no common string
one used for smoking, one for hotness, one used to refer idler and one referred as veggie's King

I am not what you refer to me most often
I am 'fruit' of labor but never called one so
I am neither a wolf nor a peach in the scale of one to ten
but then why do you think I am called one as so?

I can go green with envy, or completely red with anger
A little crown on my head makes my walk look like a swagger
You cant do without me in your day to day cooking
Tell me what veggie I am without too much thinking."

And the ingredient is TOMATO!!! And I got it right the very first time.. Yayyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)) Thanx Siri and DK for this wonderful event... You guys are doing a great job with the hosting and the riddles and all that stuff!!! Oh, 'n btw, voting for the Open Sesame 2 starts from July 1st and ends on July 5th. So, all you Dining Hall forum members, if you liked my recipe, please vote for me!!! I will be counting on all your votes, people!! ;))

Coming to the recipe.... As the name suggests, it is a gojju (coconut based gravy),containing mosaru (curd). Tomato Mosaru Gojju is a dish that is very similar to a couple of dishes that I had posted earlier - Kayi Huli , Beetroot Shoot Raita. Or rather, it is a combination of both the recipes. All three dishes are so very similar in ingredients, yet very different in taste!! Tomato mosaru gojju goes really well with some hot steamed rice. If you need a change from the usual rasam and sambhar... this is exactly what you are looking for!! Enjoy...

Ingredients:

3 Red, ripe tomatoes - medium sized

1/2 to 3/4 cup Grated coconut , fresh/frozen

3/4 to 1 cup curd

3-4 Green chilies, low to medium spiced

4-5 strands Cilantro

1-2 tsp Jeera

A generous pinch of hing

1 tsp Sugar (optional)

Salt as per taste

1-2 tsp Ghee/Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1-2 Dry Red chilies, low spiced

3-4 Curry leaves

Method:

1. Chop the tomatoes into half and cook them on stove top with very little water... Just a few teaspoons of water would also be enough.
2. Cook for about 7-8 mins or until the skin of tomatoes peel off; Switch off the stove; Remove the skin and let cool for sometime.
3. Meanwhile, grind coconut, cilantro, green chilies, jeera and hing to a smooth paste; Add as little water as possible. Add the cooked and cooled tomatoes to the masala paste and blend well.
4. Transfer the mixture to a separate vessel and boil on stovetop for a few minutes; Add salt , sugar as required and mix well.
5. Switch off the stove; Add the beaten curds and mix well. Note:Add curds ONLY after you switch off the stove. DO NOT boil after adding curds. Add water to get the desired consistency.
6. Temper with mustard seeds, red chilies and curry leaves; Serve with hot steamed rice and enjoy!

Prep Time:About 20-30 mins.

Serves: About 3-4 people.