Bhare Baghare Tamatar - stuffed tomatoes in peanut sauce

Few months ago, I watched Chef Sanjeev Kapoor making this dish for Khana Khazana show. This was one of the few times I watched the show and immediately set out doing it. The show was aired on a Sunday morning, local time being just after breakfast. Thus I had not prepared anything for lunch that day.
This side dish with stuffed tomatoes was very interesting and tempting me to try. I had quickly decided on the Satpura parathas and this dish for lunch.
The chef had used mushrooms and paneer in the stuffing. I did not have paneer on hand and we are not very fond of mushrooms. So I went about making my own stuffing with vegetables on hand.





This was the picture I took that Sunday afternoon.

Lately, I made this recipe again, this time using sprouted green gram and paneer. Over the months i had not remembered the exact ingredients that went into the gravy, just the main ingredients were in memory. Though I could look up the website www.sanjeevkapoor.com, under Khana Khazazna recipes, I did not and went about making the dish on my own.
I am not sure if I omitted any key ingredient (or not) because the gravy tasted as awesome and the tomatoes were just as delicious.

This goes well with teplas, chappathis, phulkas and such.



Ingredients:

4 firm yet ripe tomatoes

For the stuffing:
3 tablespoons green gram sprouted
3 tablespoons crumbled paneer
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 green chilli chopped
1/2" piece ginger chopped
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

Note: you may increase or adjust quantities depending on the size of the tomatoes.

For the gravy:
1/4 cup peanuts roasted and skinned
1/4 cup tamarind pulp (medium thick pulp)
1 teaspoon Ginger paste
1 teaspoon green chilli paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste (optional)
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon oil
Salt as required

For the garnish:
Chopped fresh coriander leaves
Sliced and browned onion

Method:

Getting started with tomatoes:

Wash tomatoes. Place them in a bowl of boiling water for about 40 seconds. Turn them around in the water in order that they are partly cooked all over.
Remove from the water, allow to cool and gently peel the skin off.
Slice the top off. Gently scoop out the insides. Turn the tomatoes upside down on a plate and allow the pulp inside to ooze out.
This scooped pulp can be added to the stuffing as well as the gravy as desired. I have used portions in both.
Alternatively, you may slice the top, scoop out the inside pulp and then drop the tomatoes in boiling water until they are just ready to remove the skin.

Getting the stuffing ready:

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustards and allow them to crackle. Add the cumin, ginger and the green chillies. Saute' for a few minutes. Add the sprouted gram, salt, chilli powder and coriander powder. Sprinkle few teaspoons of water and the pulp removed from the tomatoes, cover and cook the sprouts until just about done.
Remove from the stove. Add the crumbled paneer.

Turn the tomatoes over and gently stuff them with the above.
Keep aside.

Preparing the gravy:

Soak the roasted and skinned peanuts in water for about half an hour.
Blend this to a smooth paste adding water.
Mash the pulp of the tomato well, or puree in a blender.
Add the mashed tomato pulp to the tamarind extract. Add the salt to the tamarind pulp.
Heat oil in a pan. Add the ginger paste, chilli paste and the garlic paste. Saute' these on a low flame until the raw taste is lost.
Add the tamarind pulp and 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer until the tamarind thickens. Add the cumin and coriander powders.
Finally add the peanut paste and if required some water.
Cook this gravy until tiny bubbles surface. Place the stuffed tomatoes in this gravy. Cover and cook for a few minutes.
Open the lid, take the tomatoes out without distorting them. Pour the gravy into the serving dish and then place the tomatoes in the gravy.

Garnish the top of each tomato with chopped coriander leaves and browned onions.
Serve hot with rotis, phulkas and such.

This recipe is off to The well seasoned cook's Legume love affair currently running the 34th edition at Desi soccer mom's space.