Pachadis are prepared with most vegetables and serve as a cross between a relish and a curry and no South Indian meal is complete without a pachadi.Pachadis are thick,lightly cooked,seasoned with spices,low fat and healthy. Tomato pachadi is tempered with mild Indian spices and garnished with fresh coriander leaves. I had earlier posted a similar Andhra pachadi prepared with egg plant/brinjal,Vankaaya Pachadi,which is cooked on the same lines as tomato pachadi.Tamarind pulp is an essential ingredient in preparing most pachadis as it imparts a tangy-sour flavour to the pachadis but tomato pachadi is prepared without the tamarind pulp as tomatoes already have a tangy flavour. Ingredients: 3 ripe tomatoes 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 3/4 tsp cumin seeds 10 curry leaves 1/2 tsp urad dal(split black gram) 1 large onion finely chopped 3 green chillis slit length wise 1 tsp chopped ginger chopped coriander leaves for garnish salt 1 tbsp oil Slice an “X” on the bottom of each tomato with a knife and place them in boiling water for 2 mts and remove them into a bowl of cold water so that the skin will easily peel.Once peeled mash the tomato pulp and keep aside.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the cumin seeds and black gram dal and let them fry for a few seconds till brown. Now add the curry leaves,chopped onions,ginger and green chillis and fry till transparent for 3-4 mts.Dont brown it. Now add the mashed tomato pulp and salt.Mix well.Let it cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Turn off heat and garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves. Serve with hot rice or rotis. Health Benefits of Tomatoes: According to ayurveda, tomato is sour, warm, a stimulant, an appetiser, laxative, anti-flatulent with curative effects in low-appetite, controlling excessive fat and blood impurities. It also cures piles, jaundice, weakness and fever and prevents constipation. Tomato is a good source of iron,potassium, B- carotene (vitamin A) and vitamin C.It is very low in calories and is an important food in weight reducing diets and with less carbohydrate content makes it a good vegetable or fruit for diabetics and weight watchers.Lycopene, a very powerful antioxidant,is present in tomatoes and has been found to be beneficial in preventing prostate cancer. Food Cuisine Cooking Indian Cooking Andhra Recipes Vegetarian
