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Tomato bhorta
টমেটো ভর্তা (tomato bhorta): fire-charred tomatoes crushed with onion, chilli, coriander and mustard oil
Winter is tomato season in Bangladesh, when fat, red bilati begun, literally foreign aubergines, crowd the haats of Jessore and Bogura, and the simplest way to eat them is to blister them straight on the gas flame or in the ashes of the clay stove. The charred skins slip off and the soft, smoky flesh is crushed by hand with raw onion, green chilli, coriander and a thread of pungent mustard oil, so the bhorta is sweet, sharp and smoky at once. It goes with rice and dal, with khichuri on a rainy day, or with a plate of rice-flour ruti. Mashing it in a blender is where it goes wrong: the texture should be rough and juicy, squeezed through the fingers, never puréed. Chef's tip: char one green chilli alongside the tomatoes and crush it in for a deeper, rounder heat.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 ripe tomatoesabout 500 g
- 3 green chilliesone charred, two finely chopped
- 1 small red onionvery finely chopped
- 1 clove garlicgrated
- 1 /2 tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp mustard oil
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Hold 4 ripe tomatoes with tongs over a gas flame, or put under a hot grill, turning, for 8–10 minutes until the skins are blackened and split and the flesh is soft. Char one of the 3 green chillies the same way.
10 minStep 2: Cool for a few minutes, then peel off the burnt skin and remove the cores.
3 minStep 4: Mix in 1 ½ tbsp mustard oil and 3 tbsp fresh coriander, taste for salt, and serve at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tomato bhorta take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
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