What is your favourite comfort food to indulge in during the winter season? Is it a hearty soup bowl or a delicious home-cooked sabzi? No matter what it is, one ingredient most commonly found in several winter recipes in India is tomato. But instead of getting into the time-consuming process of chopping/grinding/slicing, it’s best to go for an easier alternative with tomato puree.
A tomato puree is a boon for seasoned chefs and home cooks alike, as it removes the effort from cooking. You simply need to open a pack, pour it into your recipe, and enjoy a delicious meal within a few minutes. So, there is no need to spend hours in your kitchen preparing it.
Today, we’re sharing 5 yummy recipes with you that you can quickly make this winter using tomato puree.
1. Tomato Shorba
Shorba is a hot stew made from wholesome spices, herbs, and of course juicy tomatoes. However, in this recipe, we’ll use tomato puree instead of fresh tomatoes to save time. It is a perfect dish for enjoying in chilly winter evenings. You can also pair it with any bread of your choice for a complete meal.
Ingredients – Tomato Puree, coriander, cumin, turmeric, ginger garlic paste, pepper, salt to taste, and spring onions for garnishing.
Instructions:
- Take a cooking pot and add tomato puree to it.
- Let the puree simmer with some spices, like coriander, turmeric, and cumin seeds.
- Now, add ginger garlic paste along with pepper and salt as per your taste.
- Once it’s cooked, garnish with spring onions.
- Serve hot and enjoy with any bread of your choice.
2. Tomato Upma
Upma is a popular South Indian dish that’s not enjoyed almost in every part of India. It is typically savoured as a filling breakfast dish. Today, we are sharing with you a quick tomato upma recipe that includes tomato puree, different vegetables, and spices.
Ingredients: Semolina, chopped vegetables (any as per your choice), tomato puree, spices, like coriander, cumin, etc.), fresh corander, and lemon juice.
Instructions:
- Add some oil to a pan and let it heat.
- Add semolina in heated oil and roast for a while.
- After that, add chopped vegetables with tomato puree and aromatic spices.
- Add some water to let it cook until it’s fluffy.
- Once cooked, garnish it with lemon juice and chopped coriander.
- Serve hot for breakfast.
3. Tomato Basil Soup
Another comforting winter dish you can make with tomato puree is tomato soup. Loaded with basil leaves, garlic, grilled cheese, and pepper, it is quite indulgent on cold winter evenings.
Ingredients: Garlic, onions, tomato puree, basil leaves, salt, pepper, cream, grilled cheese.
Instructions:
- In a pot, saute some onions and garlic in hot oil/ghee/butter (as per your choice).
- Add tomato puree with water and basil leaves in it and let it simmer.
- Season it with pepper, salt, and fresh cream.
- Serve hot with grilled cheese for a comforting meal.
4. Aloo Tamatar Curry
Want to prepare an indulgent curry for the winter? You need to try this aloo tamatar curry. It includes marinated pieces of paneer and potato simmered in rich tomato gravy. It is full of flavour and easy to prepare within just 15 minutes.
Ingredients: Potato, paneer cubes, tomato puree, chopped onions, garlic, garam masala, and salt to taste.
Instructions:
- Saute marinated paneer and potato in heated oil in a pan.
- Put chopped onions, garlic, garam masala, and salt to taste in it.
- Add tomato puree with water and let it simmer.
- Serve hot with roti or rice for a hearty meal.
5. Tomato and Peppercorn Soup
Last but not least, here’s another tasty soup recipe – tomato and peppercorn soup. For preparation, you need to boil tomato puree Another delicious tomato soup that you must try is this peppercorn one. To make it quickly, add tomato puree in water with other ingredients and you’ll have your light dinner meal ready in minutes.
Ingredients: Tomato puree, peppercorns (crushed), seasoning, salt to taste, cinnamon, and ginger.
Instructions:
- Add tomato puree with cinnamon, ginger, crushed peppercorns, and water in a cooking pot.
- Keep stirring until it becomes smooth and thick texture.
- Add seasoning and salt to taste.
- Serve hot with ginger garlic bread.
Conclusion
Try these quick and tasty recipes to make your winter meals wholesome and delicious. Tomato Puree is a great healthier option as it’s free from preservatives and artificial additives. Hence, you can make all these recipes easily without much hassle.
