A shaak is a type of a vegetable preparation or sabji in Gujarati cuisine. There are many shaak variations that are found across the different regions in Gujarat itself. Most of them are easy to prepare and simple recipes. Just like this Sev Tameta Nu Shaak which is an all-time favorite of this particular community. This is basically a Sev Tamatar ki Sabji which is a sweet, spicy and tangy tomato curry generously topped with crispy Sev. This one surely is a super quick recipe too, yet is a 10/10 in flavors and textures.
About Sev Tamatar ki Sabji
Translating the Gujarati Sev Tameta Nu Shaak in English would simply mean a delicious tomato (tameta) curry preparation with sev (tiny, crispy, fried, spiced gram flour vermicelli).
The Gujarati word ‘nu’ means ‘of.’ So, put together, it becomes a curry of tomatoes and sev and thus Sev Tamatar ki Sabji in Hindi.
Since the time I had started blogging, I had been getting a lot of requests to post the recipe of this particular Sev Tamatar Sabji. In fact, one of my readers also requested for a dhaba style version of this dish.
However, what I have posted here is a simple no onion, no garlic recipe. This is an easy-peasy, no frills curry recipe that gets done in about 20 to 25 minutes.
This Sev Tamatar ki Sabji is absolutely brilliant, especially because of the sev that adds heaps of flavor and texture to the dish. If you live outside India, you can easily purchase it from an Indian grocery or Indian sweet shop or can order online as well.
The variety of sev that I have added in this Gujarati Sev Tamatar Sabji is a slightly thicker than the fine sev variety that we use for chaat dishes like Sev Puri, Bhel Puri, etc. But do use a slightly thicker variety of sev as the thinner ones may dissolve in the curry.
The sev need to hold shape and should not dissolve or disintegrate in the sabji. You can even use the gathiya to make this dish. Gathiya is thicker and spiced with carom seeds which will give a different taste then sev.
Sev Tameta Nu Shaak tastes fab with bajra roti, soft phulka or chapati. You can even relish the lovely flavors of this sabzi with some simple, comforting Thepla or bread slices.
How to make Sev Tamatar ki Sabji
1. The recipe contains not many ingredients. Basically chopped tomatoes, ginger and green chilies. Tomatoes form the main base of this curry.
Sauté Spices
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. Add ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle on low heat.
3. Then, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and sauté for a few seconds or till they change color and splutter.
4. Next, add 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, ½ teaspoon finely chopped green chilies and a pinch of asafoetida (hing).
Stir and sauté on low heat for 10 to 15 seconds or till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
Make Sev Tamatar ki Sabji
5. Add 1.5 cups of chopped or finely chopped tomatoes.
6. Stir and then add below listed spice powders:
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
To make the dish more spicy, you can add up to ½ teaspoon red chili powder.
7. Stir and mix. Sauté for a minute on low heat.
8. Then, add ¾ teaspoon sugar and salt as required.
9. Stir and sauté. You have to stir a few times so that the tomatoes get cooked evenly.
10. Sauté till the tomatoes soften and become mushy.
11. Then, add ½ cup water.
12. Stir to combine evenly.
13. Bring the Sev Tamatar Sabji to a simmer on low to medium heat. Switch off the heat and check the taste.
Add more salt and sugar, if required. You can make the curry thicker, if you prefer.
14. When done, pour the curry in a serving bowl.
15. Sprinkle sev all over on and serve immediately. Add sev just before serving or else it will get soggy. Also garnish with coriander leaves.
Since we prefer the crispiness of the sev, I have added them while serving. If you want, you can add the sev when the tomato gravy is done and cook for a minute or two.
16. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve Sev Tamatar ki Sabji with Phulka or Chapati or Bajra Roti or Jowar Roti.
Expert Tips
- The recipe is made without onion and garlic. You can opt to add both onion and garlic if you prefer. Adding these two ingredients will change the taste and flavor of the shaak.
- You can always make this dish spicier by increasing the quantity of green chili and/or red chili powder.
- Once the tamatar sabji is cooked, adjust the salt and sugar, if needed. You can even make the consistency thicker, if you wish.
- To enjoy the crispiness of the sev, sprinkle it on the tomato shaak just before serving, or else it will get soggy. Instead of sev, you can also use gathiya. The gathiya can be mixed with the curry.
- Use tomatoes that are overly sour or too tangy. A bit of sweetness in the tomatoes is preferred. If the curry becomes very tangy, increase the sugar by a bit.
- You can also opt to use jaggery instead of sugar. Add jaggery according to your taste preferences.
More Tomato Recipes To Try!
Soup Recipes
Chutney Recipes
Rice Recipes
Potato Recipes
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Sev Tamatar ki Sabji | Sev Tameta nu Shaak
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups tomatoes – finely chopped or chopped, or about 250 to 275 grams
- 1 teaspoon ginger – finely chopped, or about ¾ inch ginger, peeled & finely chopped
- 1 green chili chopped or ½ teaspoon, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder – to make spicy add ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ¾ teaspoon sugar or add as required
- ¾ cup Sev – slightly thick variety, can add sev as required
- ½ cup water or add as required
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander (cilantro), for garnish
- salt as required
Instructions
- First rinse and then finely chop the tomatoes, ginger and green chilli.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and crackle them on low heat.
- Then add cumin seeds and sauté till they change color. This takes a few seconds.
- Then add chopped ginger, green chilies and asafoetida. Stir and saute on low heat for 10 to 12 seconds or until the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
- Add the chopped tomatoes.
- Stir to mix. Add the spice powders – turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder.
- Mix very well. Sauté for a minute on low heat. Then add salt as required and sugar.
- Mix and continue to sauté. You have to stir a few times so that the tomatoes get cooked evenly.
- Sauté on low to medium heat till the tomatoes soften and become pulpy or mushy.
- Then add water. Stir to combine.You can make the curry more thick also, if you prefer, by adding less water.
- Bring the tomato curry to a simmer. Turn off the heat and check the taste. Add more salt and sugar if required.
- When done, pour the tomato curry or sabzi in serving bowl/bowls.
- Sprinkle sev evenly all over on top of the curry.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve the Sev Tamatar ki Sabji or Sev Tameta nu Shaak with phulka, chapati or methi thepla or bajra roti.
Notes
- Instead of sev, you can use gathiya. If you add gathiya, then mix it with the curry or gravy.
- Use fresh, ripe, juicy, red tomatoes that are not very tangy. A slight sweetness in the tomatoes is preferred for this curry. If in case the curry becomes very sour, then increase the amount of sugar.
- You can also use jaggery instead of sugar. If you are not a fan of sweet taste in the curry, feel free to omit adding the sugar.
- For a spicy curry, increase the amount of green chillies and red chilli powder.
- I have not added onion and garlic, but you can add these two ingredients.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Sev Tamatar ki Sabji from the archives first published on December 2014 has been republished and updated in January 2023.
I would like to know recepi for mung Dall vada,fairly large ,smooth,soft as sold in Indian take away . One we make at home is generally small and not as soft and tasty as from gujarati take away places like Leicester in UK.
This recepi is excellent.
there is a moong dal vada posted on the blog. it will not be very soft like the takeaway but is good. for more softeness you can add half proportion of urad dal and half of moong dal. recipe is here – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/moong-dal-bhajiya-pakora-recipe/
not sure if i had posted previously….it came out well. thank you
thankyou so much Sabina and you are always welcome 🙂
Made for lunch and we enjoyed it. Thank you very much.
welcome Sabina 🙂
Hi Dassna,
Many thanks for those relishing recipes. I have been waiting for a good pasta sauce/gravy recipe. Just to remind you I have requested this earlier also.
welcome prabhat. thanks for the reminder. i usually make two sauces for pasta – white sauce and a tomato based sauce. let me know which one you are looking for. i will plan and buy the ingredients accordingly. you can also have a look at these recipes with pasta:
1 – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/creamy-mushroom-pasta-recipe/
2 – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/vegetable-pasta-in-white-sauce-recipe/
3 – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/penne-with-tomato-mushroom-and-olives/
Dear Dassana and Amit,
I am a big fan of u guys…. I have gone through and tried a few recipes and they are all so easy to follow, and have always received praises from each and every one who have tried the recipes….. Love it…. Thanks guys….
thanks a lot vipul for sharing this positive feedback. glad to know that recipes are turning out good and you are getting appreciation for it. happy cooking.