Making Oriya Style "Tomato Khatei" at Home
'Tomato Khatei' is one of the most popular side dishes in Vegetarian Oriya Cuisine
A typical Oriya (of Odisha, Eastern Part of India) food item usually taken as a side dish with rice and chapati/puri meals. Although the main ingredients tomato and date (Khajur) were introduced in Orissa after 17th or 18th centuries, it is a very popular dish in contemporary community as well as family dish. It is extremely easy to make and delicious to eat. This article describes the process of making Tomato Khatei in a small scale to serve 4-5 persons.
Books on Indian Recipes
Basic Ingredients
500 gram tomatoes (6-7 cut into pieces)
5-6 table spoon grated coconut
1 small onion chopped into pieces.
20-25 dates (Khajur/Khajuri)
3-4 green chillies (cut into pieces)
5 gram (1 teaspoon) punch-phutana (mix of cumin, fennel, fenugreek, kalonji/nigella and mustard seeds)
75 gram Gud (Sugar candy/jaggery or white sugar if jaggery is not available)
Turmeric powder (as per taste. 1/4 teaspoon may be sufficient)
1-2 spoonful oil
Salt - taste specific
Coriander/mint leaves
Process:
It takes around 20-25 minutes to complete the process.
1. Start tempering Punch-Phutana in oil on a heated frying pan. Add chopped onions to it.
2. Fry cut green chillies and add cut tomatoes, dates, jaggery, salt and turmeric power.
3. Mix and cook for around 15 minutes in high flame.
4. Add jagerry, 1/2 cup water and cook till tomato is cooked properly and gravy thickens
5. Stop cooking. Add the coriander leaves and grated coconut. Cover the dish for 5 minutes and serve with meal.
