Bharwa Tamatar (Stuffed Tomatoes)

Stuffed tomatoes or bharva tamatar is a good  recipe for potlucks, picnics and very easy to cook. They look very pretty and delicious. These go well with naan, plain parathas or pulao (aromatic fried rice)and some raita as a side dish

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 4
Boiled potato - 1 cup
Grated cauliflower - 1 cup
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Mint leaves - 2-3 sprigs
Vegetable oil for cooking

Spices:
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Corriander powder - 1 tsp
Red Chilli powder - to taste
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Black pepper - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

Filling

1. Wash tomatoes and chop off the head. Keep the head portion to cover the tomatoes later. Now scoop the pulp and seeds. (do not throw away the seeds and pulp. Boil it in microwave and sieve it to collect the juice and use it to prepare any tomato based gravy )
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottom wok. Add cumin seeds and let it crackle. Now add chopped onion, fry till they are translucent. Add grated cauliflower followed by frozen peas and boiled potatoes. 
3. Add all the dry spices and cook on low flame till the mixture gets cooked. 
4. Add chopped mint leaves in the end and keep the vegetable mixture aside.

 Assembling the tomatoes

1. Fill each tomato with the above filling. 
2. Prepare oil and salt mixture and brush it outside of  each tomato and cook it as follows
3. On gas top: Heat a heavy bottomed/non-stick wok. Arrange the greased tomatoes and cook covered for 2-3 minutes each side. Keep changing the sides in between. Don't over cook !
4. In conventional oven - Heat the oven at 350 Fahrenheit degrees. Grease the baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes
5. Microwave oven - I guess you can cook here too. I never cook in microwave, hence no idea about temperatures.
6. Grill - Cook on stove top first and then grill it for the smokey taste

         (I did not serve the chopped heads of tomatoes)