Tomato saar (Recipe 2)

I shared a tomato saar recipe on the blog a few weeks ago. That recipe is a cross between tomato saar and rasam. Well today's recipe is from my mum's kitchen and an authentic Manglorean saar.

This saar automatically makes me nostalgic and transports me to my childhood. Those were the days, when you sat to eat and were served the simplest food that brought such great pleasure. No amount of fine dining and gourmet food can replace my mum's saar that brings back such fond memories of my childhood. Sigh. Coming back to the post today if you'd like to view the previous recipe you will find it here.

Recipe credit: Mrs Cecilia Sequeira

Ingredients:

1. Tomatoes - 3 medium
2. Kashmiri Chillies - 3 nos
   (Make 4 slits at the bottom of the tomato and along with the kashmiri chillies place in boiling water for five minutes. Keep aside.)
3. Garlic - 4 cloves
4. Cumin/ Jeera - 1/2 tsp
5. Mustard seeds/ rai - 1/2 tsp
6. Onion - 1 medium

Grind the above ingredients  into a smooth paste. Use very little water while grinding.

Tempering:

1. Oil - 2 tbsp.
2. Onion - 1 small (finely chopped)
3. Curry leaves - a few
4. Long green chillies - 2 finely chopped (optional)

Method:

1. Heat a pan, pour oil, add the curry leaves, onions and chillies.
2. Then add the ground paste, salt and fry well. Add a glass of water. Let it simmer for  7 - 8 minutes. Adjust seasoning and consistency according to your taste.
3. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Notes:

• Typically tomato saar is a watery soup poured over rice generously and eaten with a fried fish or vegetable on the side.