Oaty Tomatoes (Answer to Guessing Game)

Well, most of you got the coriander right – that was obvious. But only Asha got the oatmeal right. For the rest of the ingredients, see the recipe below! I don’t understand why clicking on the pic didn’t result in anything – did you have that problem too?



It’s been a hectic few days since my last recipe post, what with work and folks at home and then work again. I almost didn’t miss blogging, and that’s saying a lot considering my involvement with it qualifies as obsession, but am glad to say it has been crying out loud and clear for my attention the last few days. I wanted to participate in a few events but because of the busy-ness, I didn’t give them much thought, other than to buy a couple of packets of small tomatoes (grape or cherry tomatoes, I suppose) and wonder what on earth I would do with them. I’m like that – buy everything exotic on the face of the earth, keep it for weeks (if it’s perishable) or months and years (if not so perishable) and wonder how the hell I’m going to use it/get rid of it without feeling the pinch until it finally rots/irritates me so much I whisk them off the shelf and into the dustbin.
I’m trying to get rid of this habit – the self-control it involves demands inculcating in oneself an attitude of resignation, self-consolation and even a measure of cynicism – “How different can it be? A tomato is a tomato big or small, grape, cherry or plum!” Well, I’m glad to say it didn’t work this time – for one, I didn’t have much time to debate all these issues as my family, which had sent me to the grocer’s for a quick errand, was waiting impatiently in the car outside, and the challenge was too pretty to pass up - I can only hope the pictures do them justice. I’m also proud to say these tomatoes didn’t join the legions of exotic veggies and other foodstuffs that died in my fridge or pantry over the years!



I love salads, but can’t get the dressing right, and these tomatoes were too novel for me to waste in soups, daals and raitas. They didn’t taste extraordinarily sour or sweet, either, just plain fleshy! Leafing through my many cookbooks made me adapt a recipe from a Reader’s Digest cookbook which I shall call Oaty Tomatoes. Here’s what you need:

Baby tomatoes – 300 gm
Oats – 125 gm
Onion – 1 medium, minced
Coriander leaves, chopped – 2 tbsp
Butter – 1-2 tbsp
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 200 C. Halve tomatoes, place them cut side up in a baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat butter and fry onion on low heat till soft and browning – that should take 15-20 minutes. Stir frequently. Now put in the oats, some salt and pepper and toast the mixture till crisp. Make sure you toast the oats really well, otherwise they tend to taste floury.
Top the tomatoes with this mixture once they come out of the oven. Garnish with coriander leaves all over!

This is my entry for Kalyn’s Weekend Herb Blogging being hosted by Scott of Real Epicurean.



Tags: Tomato Coriander Oats
Weekend Herb Blogging