Recipes by Rupa Sethu

Stuffed Tomatoes

When you have exhausted every possible way to use the best tomatoes of the summer, along comes another must-try recipe – Stuffed Tomatoes! This is an old favorite courtesy of my friend Anju Gupta who shared this delicious treat with me circa 1994. I must confess it has been a while since I made this but I am so glad I dug into my old recipe book! This recipe is tried and true – the most delicious combination of tomatoes and cheese with all the warm Indian spices to complement the sweetness from the tomatoes. So good! This is a wonderful side dish to impress your guests but works just as well with a vegetable pulao as a weeknight vegetarian dinner. Oh and did I mention, it can be assembled ahead of time? Perfect for busy people!

The season's best tomatoes stuffed with ricotta and peas and nestled in a bed of the tastiest sauce!

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized tomato per person, halved
  • 1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese (No Salt Added preferred or use crumbled paneer)
  • 4 tbsp frozen peas
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/2 inch ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (for the sauce)
  • Ketchup (No Salt Added if possible)
  • 1 tsp each – cumin, coriander, turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp each chili powder, garam masala

Method

  • Scoop out the tomatoes and reserve the insides. We will use it later for the sauce.
  • Mix together the ricotta, the peas, the black pepper and a pinch of garam masala, in a small bowl.
  • Spoon the ricotta filling in each of the tomato cups and set aside.
  • Now let’s make the sauce. Start with a sauté pan on medium heat. Add a tbsp of oil and let it warm up. Now add the onion, ginger, garlic, jalapeño, and sauté for about 5 minutes.
  • Add in the 2 chopped tomatoes as well as the reserved insides from the scooped out tomatoes.
  • Add in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and the garam masala. Then stir in 2 tbsp of ketchup. Cover and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Once cooled, blend it to make a smooth sauce.
  • Now we assemble our dish. Pour the sauce into an ovenproof baking dish (deep enough to house the tomatoes).
  • Gently place the stuffed tomatoes in the dish so that they sit in the sauce. The sauce should not cover the tomatoes.
  • Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes.
  • This dish can be assembled ahead of time and baked about 45 minutes before serving, making it ideal for company!

Stuffed tomatoes are everywhere these days especially with tomatoes being in season! This recipe is lighter than your typical rice or meat stuffing and so utterly delicious. Enjoy!