tomato saar recipe | tomato curry for rice | konkani style tomato saar with detailed photo and video recipe. a traditional and flavoured maharshtrian or konkan region curry recipe prepared with ripe tomatoes. it is prepared with tomato and onion with other spices and has strong similarities to tomato saaru or tomato rasam from south india. it is generally served with hot steamed rice as a side dish for lunch and dinner.
even though personally i have not visited the maharshtrian konkan region, yet i have good exposure to the konkan recipes. my hometown udupi has a lot of influence from the konkan region due to the migration konkani people to it. even today i have several friends from the konkani community and whenever i plan to visit my hometown i ensure to book a lunch session with them. i personally love the dali tove, tomato saar, veg sorak, eggplant fry and tindora stir fry with cashew nuts recipe. i like the combination of tomato saar with red boiled rice or locally known as ‘ganji’ in my home-town. but according to my friends the curry is best suited with dry fish or prawns with boiled rice.
furthermore, some tips, suggestions and variations while preparing the tomato saar recipe. firstly, i would heavily recommend using ripe and juicy tomatoes for this recipe to make it colourful and sour. if you have raw tomatoes, then increase the quantity of kokum or tamarind accordingly to make it sour in taste. secondly, if you are running short of time to prepare the masala than you can use store bought rasam powder. mix the rasam powder with coconut, garlic and ginger and ground it to a fine paste. lastly, you can prepare the same tomato curry with coconut milk as an alternative to freshly grated coconut. you may find it creamier than regular grated coconut.
finally, i request you to check my other rasam recipes collection with this post of tomato saar recipe. it includes recipes like, udupi saaru, thakkali rasam, pepper rasam, coconut milk rasam, instant rasam, lemon rasam, mysore rasam, sol kadhi, huruli saaru and beetroot rasam. further, do visit my other related recipes collection with this post like,
tomato saar video recipe:
recipe card for tomato curry for rice:
tomato saar recipe | tomato curry for rice | konkani style tomato saar
Ingredients
for masala paste:
- 1½ tomato, chopped
- ¾ cup coconut, grated
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin / jeera
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 4 dried red chilli, deseed
- ¼ onion, sliced
- 2 clove garlic
- ½ inch ginger
- small piece tamarind
- ½ cup water
!for saar / konkan curry:
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard
- ½ tsp cumin / jeera
- pinch hing / asafoetida
- 1 dried red chilli
- few curry leaves
- ½ onion, sliced
- 3 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp jaggery / gud
- 5 piece kokum / punarpuli / muragalu / kaatampi / bhirand / aamsul
- 1 chilli, slit
Instructions
- firstly, prepare masala paste by blending masala paste ingredients.
- in a large kadai heat 1 tbsp coconut oil.
- now add 1 tsp mustard, ½ tsp cumin, pinch hing, 1 dried red chilli and few curry leaves.
- saute and splutter tempering.
- further add ½ onion and saute till they shrink slightly.
- add in prepared masala paste and saute for a minute.
- pour 3 cup water or use coconut milk for more flavours.
- also add 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp jaggery, 5 piece kokum and 1 chilli. mix well.
- simmer and boil for 10 minutes or till raw flavour disappears.
- also the oil floats on top, indicating tomato saar is cooked completely.
- finally, serve tomato saar / konkan style tomato curry with hot steamed rice.
how to make tomato saar recipe with step by step photo:
- firstly, to prepare masala paste take 1½ tomato in a blender.
- also add ¾ cup coconut, 2 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin, ¼ tsp pepper, ¼ tsp turmeric and 4 dried red chilli.
- additionally add ¼ onion, 2 clove garlic, ½ inch ginger and small piece tamarind.
- blend to smooth paste adding ½ cup water. keep aside.
- in a large kadai heat 1 tbsp coconut oil. alternatively use any cooking oil.
- now add 1 tsp mustard, ½ tsp cumin, pinch hing, 1 dried red chilli and few curry leaves.
- saute and splutter tempering.
- further add ½ onion and saute till they shrink slightly.
- add in prepared masala paste and saute for a minute.
- pour 3 cup water or use coconut milk for more flavours.
- also add 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp jaggery, 5 piece kokum and 1 chilli. mix well.
- simmer and boil for 10 minutes or till raw flavour disappears.
- also the oil floats on top, indicating tomato saar is cooked completely.
- finally, serve tomato saar / konkan style tomato curry with hot steamed rice.
notes:
- firstly, use well ripened tomatoes for great flavour and colour.
- also recommend to deseed the red chilli to avoid spiciness.
- furthermore, adding tamarind is optional as kokum gives sourness.
- finally, tomato saar / konkan style tomato curry tastes great when made with coconut oil.