Tomato Khatta Na Tomato Meetha !!

Tomatoes are an integral part of every kitchen.. and I don't just mean every Odiya kitchen... they are  everywhere... no matter what cuisine we are preparing.. tomatoes will be there... in some form or the other...

Curries... Gravies... Salads... Chutneys....Sauces... and one of my favorites... Tomato Khatta (Literally means Tangy Tomato) 

But in Odisha, this tomato khatta is more on the meetha side.. i.e. sweeter.. Made usually on Mondays because it's a no-onion-no-garlic dish... goes very well with Rice+Dalma combo... And is also seen in menus of weddings... mainly because of their ease of preparation I think hee hee hee .... and the fact that no matter what.. everyone loves the dish...

Full of Iron and Vit.C (I think, not so sure), tomatoes are "YUMMY" in this preparation ... I am still wondering, why they call it "Tomato Khatta".. when it is actually quite "Meetha"

Here's what I used

• 6 big size garden tomatoes (These days the Indian stores have them in plenty in SF Bay Area)

• 8 to 10 seedless dates (Khajoor)

• 1/2 cup of green peas (Thaw them if they are frozen), optional

• 1 & 1/2 cups jaggery (More if you like your khatta too meetha)

• 2 - 3 green chillies (Add more for more hotness)

• 10-12 curry leaves (fresher the better)

• 2 inch piece of ginger - thoroughly crushed

• 2 teaspoons panch phoran

• 1 & 1/2 tea spoon fresh ground cumin-red chilli powder (Jeera-Lanka Gunda)

• Salt to taste

• Ghee or Oil for cooking (about 1 table spoon would do)

Process .......

• Heat oil/ghee in a heavy bottom kadhai or a frying pan which has enough room for 6 big tomatoes

• When oil is hot, add the panch phoran and let it splutter

• Then goes in, the green chillies, ginger & curry leaves. Fry them until fragrant (not burnt)

• Then goes in the tomatoes, add salt at this point

• Cover and cook till there is a lot of water in the pan/kadhai

• Keep stirring in between to make sure that the tomatoes do not burn out at the bottom

• Keep the heat on medium (Mark 6 on the electric stove)

• After 7-8 mins, when the tomatoes have started to pulp out in their own watery juice, add the jaggery and the dates. The idea is to melt the jaggery, allow it to mix up with tomatoes while they cook and also soften the dates by the tomato juice

• Cover and cook for another 10 -1 2 mins or until you see that the whole thing is changing its color from red to dark red and then to near-about maroon. The color depends on how fresh and red your tomatoes are and also the jaggery.

• After 12 mins, remove cover and check to see if you have any lumps of jaggery. There should be none. Also the dates should be soft so that you can mush them easily. This is when you know its all done.

• If you think there is too much water, then simmer the khatta on open and let some more water evaporate. 

• One variation that I tried was to add a few green peas (thawed of course) little after the addition of dates. Usually the tomato khatta made in weddings during winter have green peas in them.

• After everything is done, take the pan out of heat and add the cumin-red chili powder and mix well. Keep it covered till you serve it. 

This dish goes the best with Rice+Dalma (I feel), but I have had it with Stuffed parathas, rot is, puris even with Idlis and trust me.. the meal tastes good.. no matter what the staple is.. :)

Enjoy this Odiya favorite !!