A quick catch up

Some like it because it’s sweet, some like it for its tanginess... whatever be one’s choice of flavour, tomatoes have been an integral part of Indian cooking. With a surprising surge in the price of tomatoes, Bengalureans are searching for alternatives.

Chef R Hanumanth, whose specialties include South Indian food, says that the prices of tomatoes has affected all and led to change in food habits.

He adds that there are many South Indian foods that do not need the red- fleshed delight.

“In dishes like ‘ghee rice’ and ‘vegetable pulao’, tomatoes are not needed,” he says.

Breakfast options like ‘omelette’ and even salads do not need these. “For the sour taste, just squeeze in a few drops of lemon,” he adds.

For the health conscious, switching to green and leafy vegetables would be the best option. Akriti Sinha, an electronics engineer who loves cooking, is using more cabbages, capsicums and beans in her diet now.

“They are filling. One could try a sweet corn or cabbage soup instead of a tomato-based one,”she says.

Cooking without tomatoes can be challenging for those who have to have their ‘rasam’ and ‘sambhar’, but Vidya Rani, a teacher, says that tamarind is a great alternative.

“The tangy taste can be easily swapped with lime too. Most dishes which need a lot of tomatoes are being avoided temporarily,” she details.

‘Palya’ without tomatoes and including more potatoes and beans are a good option.

Spinach and beets make for great dishes without tomatoes,” she adds. As side dishes, one can opt for ‘raita’.

“At the moment, we are avoiding tomatoes in even the ‘dal’,” she says.

Many use tomatoes for thickening a dish and Shamina Joshi, a North Indian chef, says that she would rather opt for the tomato puree than the raw fruit at present.

“It’s a thick paste and with just a small box, one can cook an entire square meal,” she adds.

Homemaker Rashmi Manchi has said goodbye to ‘tomato baths’ for now.
“To make side dishes interesting, I’m adding grounded peanuts. ‘Kokum’, which reduces acidity, can also be used to bring in a tangy flavour,” she says.

In salads, tomatoes are being replaced by the goodness of zucchini and lime.
“To make a curry thicker, people are opting for coconut milk or even cornflour now. Frying more onions and using that as a base with ‘pudina’ are other healthy options,” she says.