Description
A vibrant and fragrant Tomato & Coconut Curry that combines toasted spices, fresh tomatoes, and creamy coconut milk for a rich, comforting dish. Perfectly balanced with tamarind and brown sugar, this curry is simmered until tender and served hot with rice, making it a flavorful vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Spices
- 1 heaped tsp cumin seeds
- 1 heaped tsp coriander seeds
- 1 heaped tsp fennel seeds
- 1 heaped tsp black mustard seeds
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
Main Ingredients
- 2 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
- 10 curry leaves
- 3 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 1 kg large ripe tomatoes, cut into quarters
- 250 g cherry or baby plum tomatoes
- 400 ml can coconut milk
- 2 heaped tsp tamarind paste
- 2 heaped tsp brown or palm sugar
To Serve
- Cooked rice
Instructions
- Toast Spices: Heat a large dry frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds and toast them until fragrant and lightly browned. Immediately remove from heat and grind roughly using a pestle and mortar or spice grinder to release their flavors.
- Sauté Onions and Curry Leaves: Drizzle the sunflower or rapeseed oil into the same pan. Add the curry leaves and sizzle for a minute to infuse the oil. Then add the thinly sliced onions and fry for about 5 minutes until they turn lightly golden and softened.
- Add Spices and Aromatics: Stir in the black mustard seeds, ground toasted spice mixture, turmeric, sea salt, crushed garlic, and chopped green chilli. Fry everything together for 2 more minutes to deepen the flavors and toast the spices with the onions.
- Cook Tomatoes: Add the quartered large ripe tomatoes and cherry or baby plum tomatoes to the pan. Fry for another minute to start breaking them down.
- Add Coconut Milk and Seasonings: Pour in the coconut milk, then add the tamarind paste and brown or palm sugar. Stir well to combine all the ingredients evenly.
- Simmer the Curry: Reduce the heat to low and simmer the curry gently for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are really soft and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Adjust Seasoning and Serve: Taste the curry and adjust the seasoning with extra salt or sugar if needed. Serve hot with cooked rice. Optionally, fry some extra curry leaves in a little oil until crisp and spoon them over the curry just before serving for added texture and aroma.
Notes
- To enhance flavor, use fresh and ripe tomatoes for the best sweetness and depth.
- Frying extra curry leaves until crisp adds a delightful garnish that complements the dish’s texture.
- This curry is vegetarian and naturally gluten-free, making it suitable for a variety of dietary preferences.
- Adjust the amount of green chilli to control the heat level according to your taste.
- For a richer curry, a splash of coconut cream can be added before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian-inspired
Keywords: tomato curry, coconut curry, vegetarian curry, Indian-inspired curry, stovetop curry, tomato and coconut milk recipe, tamarind curry
