South Indian Tomato Curry with Coriander Pancakes

Name: South Indian Tomato Curry with Coriander Pancakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Cuisine: Asian, Indian
Ingredients: 1 tbsp cumin seeds; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 2 red onions, sliced; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 1–2 red chillies finely diced, and seeds removed; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 2 generous tbsp (around 25) dried curry leaves; 400g tin full-fat coconut milk; 1 tbsp tamarind paste; 2 tbsp mango chutney; 300g cherry tomatoes, halved; 700g big tomatoes, plum, San Marzano, beefsteak halved; a large bunch of coriander, leaves picked; a handful of toasted, flaked almonds; 2 tsp nigella seeds; natural yogurt, to serve (optional)”; “125g gram flour (chickpea flour); 125g plain flour; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves; sunflower oil, for frying”

8 steps

Prep:15minCook:1h 30min

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 05:33:10 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Good

Glycemic Index

Moderate

Glycemic Load

High

Nutrition per serving

Calories684.7 kcal (34%)

Total Fat39.2 g (56%)

Carbs72.9 g (28%)

Sugars15.1 g (17%)

Protein18.4 g (37%)

Sodium290 mg (14%)

Fiber9.9 g (35%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Instructions

Step 1

Toast the cumin and coriander seeds over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a pestle and mortar and crush to a coarse powder. In the same pan, warm the sunflower oil over a low heat. Add the onions and fry for 8–10 minutes until soft.

Step 2

Return the crushed spices to the pan, along with the garlic, chillies, turmeric, curry leaves and a pinch of salt. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in the coconut milk, tamarind paste and mango chutney, then bring to a very gentle simmer and leave to blip quietly for 5 minutes.

Step 4

Add the cherry tomatoes, then tuck the big tomato halves into the sauce, cut-side up, nestling them in a single layer so their bottoms are touching the base of the pan but the cut tops are just above the surface of the sauce. Bring back to a very gentle simmer and leave to cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes. The aim is to keep the big tomatoes intact and let them poach gently in the sauce - do not stir the mixture.

Step 5

The curry is ready when the big tomatoes are just cooked through, but still holding their shape, and the sauce is glossy and thick enough to run a spoon through and have it reveal the bottom of the pan for a second before the sauce closes over it once more.

Step 6

Meanwhile, make the pancakes. Combine the flours and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Gradually whisk in 500ml water until you have a thin but smooth batter. Stir in the chopped coriander.

Step 7

Brush a non-stick frying pan with sunflower oil and warm it over a medium-high heat. Spoon a ladleful of batter into the hot pan, swirling it round to spread the batter out into a very thin, even circle the size of the frying pan. Fry for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden and slightly crispy at the edges. Repeat until all the batter is used up, adding a little oil to the pan each time and piling the cooked pancakes on a warm plate.

Step 8

When the curry is ready, scatter over the coriander leaves, flaked almonds and nigella seeds, and serve with the pancakes. A dollop of cool, natural yogurt on the side would also be a welcome addition.