Tomato saar is basically prepared by blending together blanched tomatoes along with few spices and tempering it with few necessary ingredients.

Every week I really think a lot what to prepare for Monday lunch , as we don’t eat non vegetarian on that day. Since GSBs(Goud Saraswat Brahmins) follow strict vegetarian food if it’s a veg day, we don’t even eat garlic or onions. So, have to cook something with no onion no garlic.

Tomato saar is one of the basic vegetarian curry prepared in Goan families. The style of preparing it may vary from house to house but I prefer to keep it simple without much spices. Just to calm our tummies at least for 1 day of the week. 🙂 I make it plain without any coconut, with very little oil , so don’t have to worry about calorie count, etc.

My hubby prefers fish curry over vegetarian curry, but he likes tomato saar and whenever I plan for vegetarian meal, he insists for it. For me its a relief as this curry is very simple, quick and non greasy.

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

Cooking Time : 15 Minutes

Serves :4

Ingredients : 

• 3 Medium sized Tomatoes
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon Coriander Seeds
• 4-5 Black Pepper Corns
• 2-3 Dry red Chilies
• 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Grated Jaggery/Panela
• Salt to taste

For Tempering : 

• 1 Teaspoon Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 10-12 Curry Leaves
• 1-2 Dry red Chilies
• Pinch of hing/Asafoetida

Method:

In a small saucepan take tomatoes and about 3 cups of water. Let the water come to boil . Lower the heat and let them boil for another 8-10 minutes. You will see that tomato skin will start to loosen up. Switch off the heat and allow them to cool for some time and discard the skin.

Add peeled tomatoes, along with other ingredients from ingredient list except salt and jaggery in the grinder jar and using about 2 cups water, grind to very smooth puree.

To give tempering, in another saucepan, add a teaspoon of oil and once the oil is hot, keeping the heat on low, add cumin seeds and mustard seeds and cover. Let the seeds crackle, then add curry leaves, red chilies and pinch of hing or asafoetida .

Saute for few seconds and add the ground tomato puree and some water jaggery.

Let it come to complete boil. Add Salt, mix and remove from heat.

This tomato saar goes really well with hot and steamy white rice with some papad, pickles, vegetables.

[mpprecipe-recipe:390]