Onion Tomato Curry Recipe | Andhra Tomato Kura

Onion Tomato Curry Recipe is an extremely quick and easy yet flavorful South Indian side dish (sabzi/baji) made with basic ingredients and a few spices which are typically available in most kitchen/pantry. This easy everyday curry goes well with both steamed rice and Indian bread.

I am dipping into my treasure of recipes to post a simple dish from Andhra cuisine. This is my grandmother’s exact recipe and the only way we make onion tomato curry at home.

The onion tomato curry recipe has various variations and every family has its own recipe. The many guises of onion tomato curry are an endless fountain of creativity.

In the South, there are numerous names for this curry depending upon which region it belongs to, and has slight variations.

About Onion Tomato Curry Recipe

As the name suggests, the Onion Tomato Curry recipe is a South Indian style tomato-based curry cooked with onion, lots of tomatoes, and warm aromatic spices.

Onion and tomatoes usually play an important role and form the base of most Indian curries. So, the Indian Kitchen never runs out of these two.

The right amount of tanginess from local tomatoes and the hint of garlicky flavor are the plus points of this onion tomato gravy. The different flavors will tickle your tastebuds.

I usually make this onion tomato curry whenever I run out of any veggies, am not in the mood to make any elaborate dish, or spend more time in the kitchen.

It may feel weird that a curry can be made with just two main ingredients and a few spices but trust me on this one.

The Onion Tomato Curry recipe is one of the simplest curries that even beginners, bachelors, college students, and newly married couples can make.

I like this curry hot and spicy. Hence, I always use red chili powder and Kashmiri red chili powder to impart a bright red color to the curry.

The spiciness and color of this onion tomato curry vary as per the chili powder used. This curry is spicy and tangy at the same time and just mind-blowing.

This recipe is just a guide. You can skip the ingredients that are not in your pantry.

Reasons to make

OPOS – One Pot One Shot recipe.

Simple, yet flavorful curry.

Has a bold tomato flavor.

Can be put together in 15 minutes.

Uses very few ingredients.

Multipurpose side dish.

Easily scale up or down the recipe.

Vegan and Gluten-free.

Pro Tips

Use fresh, ripe, dark red, and juicy tomatoes for the best flavor and color of the curry. Avoid hard and tasteless ones.

Use fresh garlic. Crush the garlic in a mortar and pestle to almost a paste, it will blend well in the curry sauce.

I like to add onion in a small quantity as it improves the consistency and texture of the gravy. However, it is optional and you can skip it while making it for fasting or vrat.

Make sure you cook only the onion until it is just cooked soft, so it adds a chunky texture and a hint of sweetness to the curry.

I prefer to add fenugreek seeds in Indian curries that have tomato and or tamarind as it has many health benefits. The quantity of these seeds should be very less if you add more as it will make the curry taste bitter.

If the tomatoes you use are not sour enough, you can add little tamarind pulp or lemon juice (toward the end) for extra tanginess.

As the number of tomatoes is more, you will require more spices to lower the tanginess of tomatoes.

To balance the tanginess of tomatoes, you use a bit of jaggery or sugar.

The consistency of gravy for this dish is semi-gravy. However, you can adjust the quantity of water to make it thinner or thicker as per your preference.

Ingredients

Oil: I use vegetable oil for this recipe but you can use any oil that you prefer.

Tomatoes: Use any variety of tomatoes that are sour. Bangalore tomatoes aren’t the best as they will in no way deliver the savory tang flavor.

Onion: I use red onion to make Indian curries. You can use any variety to make this dish.

Tempering ingredients: mustard seeds, cumin, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, dry red chilies, and garlic.

Spice powders: turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala.

Other: water, salt, and coriander leaves.

How to make Onion Tomato Curry

1. Heat oil in a deep pan over medium flame. When hot, add fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, and cumin. Let the seeds splutter.

2. Now, add dry red chilies, curry leaves, and crushed garlic. Fry for a few seconds until the leaves turn crisp and the garlic turns light golden color.

3. Then add the chopped onion and saute on medium-high flame until they turn soft.

Cook the onions only till they lose the raw flavor. Do not let them change color.

5. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute on a medium flame for 2 minutes or till the tomatoes soften.

Fry without covering the pan as it develops a toasty and smoky aroma that tastes better. If you fry on low flame, you will lose out on this.

6. Cover the pan and cook on low flame for 5 minutes.

7. Now, add turmeric powder, red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt. Fry for 30 seconds to get rid of the raw smell of the spice powders.

Salt helps sweat onions and tomatoes.

8. Once tomatoes turn soft and almost all water is evaporated we can see the thick consistency of tomato gravy.

Add water only after the tomatoes break down to a mushy texture.

9. Adjust consistency by adding water. turn the flame to high and cook the curry till it gets to a boil. Taste test and add salt and spices, if required.

If the curry does not taste sour, add tamarind pulp at this stage.

I like the consistency slightly thick, so added 1/2 cup of water. You can add more or less water as per the consistency preferred.

10. Cover the pan and simmer on low flame for 5 minutes.

11. Once the gravy is cooked, you will see oil getting separated on the sides of the pan.

Oil separating is an indication that the ingredients are cooked well.

12. Add in the sugar and garam masala. Mix well and continue to cook on low flame for 2-3 minutes.

The little bit of sugar will help balance the flavors of the curry.

13. Turn off the flame and add chopped coriander leaves. Give a good mix.

Onion Tomato Curry is ready. Serve hot or warm with steamed rice or rotis.

Serving Suggestions

Onion Tomato Curry goes perfectly with rice and a little drizzle of ghee on top, which soaks up all that incredible flavor. You could just go with steamed rice (sona masoori) or plain basmati rice.

This curry tastes great with Indian bread like roti, plain paratha, lachha paratha, naan, puri, or missi roti.

It is also a popular accompaniment with South Indian breakfast recipes such as dosa, idli, rava idli, pongal, vada, uttapam, or paniyaram.

Storage Suggestions

If you do have leftovers then they can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

You can make tomato onion curry (without adding water) in bulk and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. I would highly recommend using a little more oil to make the curry, as oil will act as a preservative to the curry.  Keep serving it for your breakfast or for everyday meals. While reheating, add water to adjust the gravy consistency.

To store for a longer period, you can freeze this onion tomato curry. Just let the curry completely cool down and then store it in a storage container or zip bag that is airtight and has a good seal. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before using it, just thaw it at the counter and reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. Adjust the consistency and spiciness as per your liking.

Variations

This onion tomato curry recipe is basic. A slight alteration in everyday pantry ingredients changes the curry magically.

1. You can play around with the spices, and seasonings to enhance the flavor of the curry and give it a unique flavor. A touch of sambar powder, rasam powder, kura karam, meat masala, pav bhaji masala , or your choice of spice blend changes the flavor of the curry.

2. Can add a small piece of ginger. Crush it along with garlic in a mortar and pestle.

3. Add leafy vegetable. Just throw a handful of chopped spinach leaves toward the end. It will add extra nutrition and color too.

4. Add different vegetables of your choice – brinjal, drumsticks, potatoes, chikkudukaya/broad beans, beerakaya/ridge gourd.

5. Add a few hard-boiled eggs and simmer in the gravy for a few minutes.

5. To make no onion no garlic onion tomato curry recipe, then indeed you can skip both of them from the recipe and go ahead with the rest. Replace garlic with ginger.

More Related Recipes

Aloo Tomato curry

Potato Kurma

Onion Egg masala

Drumstick curry with milk

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