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28 October, 2014

Green tomato and lentil curry or ‘masial’

Comments : 18 Posted in : Main course, side dish on by : apsara Tags: , , , ,

 

While everyone is posting dishes with pumpkins at this time of the year, I have a different fruit that is taking up too much space on my kitchen counter. Yes, with the arrival of Mr. Jack Frost, I had to pluck all the tomatoes while they were green. Time for recipes with the sour but tasty green tomatoes!

‘Masial’ is a fragrant and protein-rich south Indian dish that is made with slightly sour vegetables cooked with mashed pigeon peas or toor dal and spices. It is served as a side to rice in the main course. In my house, we have it with brown rice.

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Here are pictures of tomatoes with spices and pigeon peas available in any Indian grocery store:

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Sharing this at VVLP 18Β at Annie’s blog An Unrefined Vegan, co-hosted by Poppy and Angela.

This is also one of the green tomato dishes that I’m taking to Fiesta Friday #40 at The Novice Gardener’s co-hosted by Jhuls and Margy.

Green tomato masial

  • Servings: 4
  • Time: 35 minutes
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

green tomatoes- 3-4 medium

green chilly- 1

toor dal (split pigeon peas)- 1/2 cup

curry leaf- 1 (optional)

salt- to taste

water- 2-3 cups

spices:

fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp.

sambar powder- 1 tbsp. (available at an Indian store; I use homemade powder)

turmeric powder- a pinch

for tempering:

mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp.

compounded asafoetida- 1/4 tsp.

sesame oil- 1 tsp. (or any neutral oil can be used)

Method:

1. Cook lentils (with turmeric powder) separately with 2 cups of water. I use a pressure cooker for this purpose. Once done, the dal should be of mashable consistency. If not, cook again with more water. Once cool, mash it with the back of a soup ladle.

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2. Chop tomatoes into small pieces and slit green chilly lengthwise.

3. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and asafoetida powder. When they spatter, add fenugreek seeds, curry leaf, slit green chilly and chopped tomatoes.

4. Add water and salt, close the pan and cook till tomatoes are very tender.

5. Add sambar powder and lentils and additional water. Bring to boil a couple of times.

6. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice.

18s COMMENTS

18 thoughts on : Green tomato and lentil curry or ‘masial’

    • October 29, 2014 at 8:12 pm

      thank you, Dimple!

  • October 28, 2014 at 3:37 pm

    Never tried green tomatoes before, sounds luscious, shall give it a try Asap…

    • October 28, 2014 at 3:42 pm

      It is surprisingly easy and tasty too, Chitra. thank you!

    • October 28, 2014 at 10:54 pm

      thanks, Sonal. πŸ™‚

  • October 29, 2014 at 5:24 am

    sounds interesting. Is it very tangy? Bcoz green tomatoes generally are.

    • October 29, 2014 at 8:13 pm

      Yes, the tomatoes make this dish tangy, just like green mangoes do. πŸ™‚

  • October 30, 2014 at 12:36 pm

    I have never used green tomatoes before, recently at a dinner party I asked the hostess what kind of chatney she had made, she said it was from tomatoes…I was puzzled because the color was a light lime green and she explained it was from Green tomatoes which she brought out a few from the kitchen…needless to say I was excited by this new type of tomato!
    Thanks for sharing, I have been looking for a recipe to experiment with πŸ™‚

    • October 30, 2014 at 5:55 pm

      I’m glad you like it. This is a coincidence, because I’m posting a green chutney tomato next- hope you like that too. πŸ™‚

  • October 30, 2014 at 2:15 pm

    I love Indian cuisine so I just had to hop by from Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck to see your Green Tomato and Lentil Masial recipe and to explore your blog! What a delectable dish! I can’t wait to try your recipe at home.I’m pinning and sharing this! All the best, Deborah

    • October 30, 2014 at 4:38 pm

      Thank you so much Deborah, for visiting, sharing and liking the FB page! Hope you find many other useful recipes and information here. πŸ™‚

  • October 31, 2014 at 8:18 pm

    Wow, have never heard of green tomatoes in Indian cooking :)), there’s always a first eh! and your recipe sounds delicious!

  • Pingback: Loaded Pumpkin Waffles | Fiesta Friday #40 | The Novice Gardener

  • November 1, 2014 at 6:24 am

    I go with the others – I never had green tomatoes before. I always go with the bright oranges ones. But this looks absolutely awesome. πŸ˜€

  • November 1, 2014 at 6:05 pm

    I had so many green tomatoes and just let them go to waste. Now I have an option next year!

  • November 2, 2014 at 11:11 am

    Love this recipe! The comfort food I’d need for this cold Sunday! Thanks a lot for sharing with us at FF!

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