Sunday, January 21, 2007

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.



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16 comments:

  1. hi sra..
    great one..really we are confused to say what it is...thanks for sahring..

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  2. I was right! I was right! I was right about Oats!:D

    WHAT??!!!Didn't miss blogging!!!!!BLASPHEMY girl!!Whatever do you mean you almost didn't miss it,you you you!!

    Looks good sra!I don't know why I don't participitate in that Herb thingie!I have Aroma now,I should be!I will try.Have a great weekend!:))

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  3. Oaty tomatoes...That's an interesting name..Looks perfect.I just brought a box cherry tomatoes and was searching for a perfect recipe.I can relate to "died in my fridge"..always happens to me..especially poor french beans..:))

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  4. That's a refreshingly new dish !!! How the hell did you think it up ? Now I know what you do when you don't blog :)

    I have a similar trait of buying rare veggies (rare for me ) which often die a sad death in my refrigerator, even now I have "Endives" lying there.

    But cherry/grape tomatoes are so cute that it's difficult seeing them and not picking them up. I even grew them last year, they grow easily and in plenty.

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  5. Swapna, thank you. I couldn't get a good pic of the final product, which made the guessing game possible - ha ha!
    Yes, Asha, blasphemy but true, my parents were here and we were all going out everyday.
    Maheswari, I wondered if I shd make them oaty or oatsy but went with oaty.
    Sandeepa, I didn't think it up - I just adapted it from a book. The only thing I thought up was that custard in the archives with saffron and pepper!

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  6. So family in town, good for you, Sra.
    I find these tomatoes in the rythu bazaar quite often. Usually I pick up the bangalore tomatoes (I hope you know what I'm talking about).

    Healthy recipe there!

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  7. WAH!!!! I couldnt have guessed that in my dreams!!!! Thats an unusual combo Sra!!!!!

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  8. Hi Sailu, yes, of course I know the Bangalore tomatoes, but I use the native (desavali) ones whenever I can find them - they cook so easily and are very flavourful.
    Neither could I, Coffee, if I hadn't made it! :)
    By the way, did you notice - I've updated my meme and taken a guess at your looks!
    Scott, the recipe in the cookbook was called Tomato Skirlies, I think. That had four big tomatoes with oats and parsley piled on top but I smothered mine!

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  9. interesting that u baked the oats instead of cooking them..almost like a granola. thanks for rescuing the tomatoes from the frigid death.:)

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  10. Hi Sra - I am just like that with exotic foods. I threw out half a fresh coconut after printing many a recipe for coconut barfi.

    The problem is that it needs planning and I am terrible with that...

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  11. Very interesting combination. Wish I could have a taste of it.

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  12. Sra,
    nice dish to participate eith WHB.
    So your guessing game turn to be a very delicious entry now :D.
    nice combination , i really liked ait an healthy too . will give it a try and let you know.
    keep posting . I love to read your posts :)
    -Pooja

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  13. really nice recipe and simple yet healthy salad.I never tried such sallads. For me salads means always ready and easy one which are mixed togeather and soreted with some salt an pepper.But this is some thing special.Thank you for sharing

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  14. Mallika, so am I, I don't plan, just cook whatever I feel like and I mayn't feel like it at meal times, either!
    Kalyn, come over!
    Pooja, thank you so much!
    Meena, it's interesting that you thought of this as salad. I now realise it is, because when you serve it, the oats get mixed up with the tomatoes and don't remain as the topping because there's no binder. Thanks

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  15. What an interesting recipe! It looks very healthy and tasty too.

    I'm the same with leaving things to die in the fridge. If it looks exciting I'll buy it and then forget about it. There's a butternut squash thats been sitting in my cupboard for well over a month.... good thing that those squashes are indestructible!

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  16. Ros, thanks for stopping by

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