📍 Where this dish comes from: Kerala · Kerala backwaters
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Discover the history of this region →
Roasted tomato chutney is a staple of South Indian breakfast tables — served alongside idli, dosa, and upma as a fiery, tangy counterpoint. The roasting step concentrates the sugars, caramelizes the skins, and develops a depth that no raw tomato can achieve. The result is a chutney of extraordinary depth, smokiness, and complexity that improves everything it is placed beside.
What You’ll Need
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 75kcal
Ingredients
- 6 medium tomatoes halved
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 8 curry leaves
- 2 dried red chilies
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Drizzle tomatoes with coconut oil; roast at 220°C for 25 minutes.
- Cool; peel skins and chop roughly.
- Heat ghee in pan; add mustard seeds and let pop.
- Add curry leaves and dried chilies; fry 30 seconds.
- Add garlic; cook 1 minute.
- Add roasted tomatoes, chili powder, and turmeric.
- Cook 10 minutes until thick.
- Finish with lemon juice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 75kcal | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Fiber: 1g
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Health Benefits
- Roasting tomatoes meaningfully increases the bioavailability of lycopene compared to raw tomatoes.
- Coconut oil provides lauric acid, studied for its antimicrobial properties.
- Charred tomato skins contain melanoidins, compounds formed during roasting that are studied for their antioxidant activity.