This is a spiced and mildly tangy Tomato Curry made with ground tomatoes, onions, coconut, spices and herbs. The recipe is from the Goan Cuisine. This curry is best served with some steamed rice.
Break the dry red chilies and deseed them if you prefer.
Grate the coconut and keep aside. You can also chop the coconut into small pieces.
Take all the ingredients to be ground in a wet grinder jar or a sturdy blender - chopped tomatoes, broken red chilies, garlic, coconut, coriander seeds, chopped onion, whole black pepper and turmeric powder.
Add 3 tablespoons of water and grind to a smooth fine paste. There should be no small chunks or pieces of coconut in the masala paste. Keep the ground paste aside.
Making Tomato Curry
Heat oil in a pan or pot. Add mustard seeds and crackle them.
Then add cumin seeds. Fry till they splutter. Add onions and sauté stirring often till translucent
Then add curry leaves, dry red chilies and asafoetida(hing).
Stir and then add tomatoes. Sauté them for 3 minutes.
Add the ground masala paste and sauté for 1 to 2 mins, stirring often.
Next add 3 cups water. Season with salt as needed.
Bring to a complete boil first without a lid. Then simmer the curry on a low heat, again without a lid. Stir the curry at intervals.
Simmer till you see oil floating on top of the curry. About 12 to 15 minutes on a low heat after the first boil.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve Tomato Curry hot with steamed rice or chapathi or jeera rice.