Sick of high prices? Here are some delicious tomato-less recipes
Soaring tomato prices are causing quite a stir in the culinary world. Recently a McDonald's outlet had to drop tomatoes from their menu since they are unable to find quality tomatoes. If tomato happens to be the hero of your favorite dishes, here are some scrumptious alternatives that will satisfy your taste buds and make you forget all about those elusive tomatoes.
Rajma curry: Use yogurt and tamarind instead of tomatoes
Pressure-cook kidney beans and mash some cooked beans. Heat mustard oil, add bay leaves, onions, salt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and cook. Add beaten yogurt and mix. Add the mashed rajma and cook for a minute. Add the rest of the rajma, tamarind pulp, and water. Cover, and cook for five minutes. Sprinkle garam masala powder, mix well and it's ready.
Make kara chutney without tomatoes
This tomato-free kara chutney is a must-try with dosa or idli. Grind cloves of two garlic. Heat oil in a pan, add a teaspoon each of mustard seeds and jeera, a few curry leaves, and garlic paste, and saute. Add a teaspoon of ground coriander and red chili powder and cook until the oil separates. Add water, salt, tamarind pulp, and asafoetida, and cook.
Pizza: Switch tomato sauce for a vibrant green sauce
The traditional tomato sauce in pizzas is a given, but have you ever tasted pizza with basil sauce? Blend together blanched spinach, basil, garlic, and olive oil with a pinch of salt. Spread this on your pizza base and add toppings. Shove it in the oven and bake until the bread is crispy. You can also use this green sauce as a salad dressing.
Pasta: Ditch tomatoes for a blend of alternative veggies
You can prepare a rich and creamy red sauce without tomatoes. Boil your favorite pasta with a dash of olive oil and a pinch of salt until al-dente. In the meantime, parboil carrots, make pumpkin puree, and char grill red bell peppers. Blend them with a teaspoon of tamarind paste until you get a smooth paste. Use this sauce to prepare red sauce pasta.
Opt for pesto gnocchi instead of gnocchi alla Sorrentina
It is difficult to think of Italian food without tomatoes, but we can't forget the classic alternative - pesto. Blend together fresh basil, pine nuts or walnuts, parmesan, garlic, and olive oil to prepare the pesto sauce. Cook your gnocchi until they float to the top of the water. Drain them, add the pesto sauce, and mix to coat well. Sprinkle extra parmesan cheese.
