Chemmeen Pacha thakkali Curry / Shrimp and Green tomato Curry / Recipes Using green Tomatoes

Even though its winter, my tomato plants were still producing 'sweet lady tomatoes'. I get harvest here and there, but not big harvests like Summer/fall. From 3kg a week , it reduced to  10 or 11 small tomatoes a week. So finally I decided to remove plants in order to keep the raised bed ready for this years planting. We harvested all red and green tomatoes, chopped and put the plants in compost, added more soil to raised bed along with Worm castings, and mulched with dried leaves. I was left with more than 5kg Green tomatoes. So amma gave this recipe and this was absolute heaven. Hereafter I will make shrimp curry only using this recipe. I used Kudampuli / gambooge in this recipe which is a type of tamarind we use in kerala to make fish curry. As a sour agent we use tamarind / tomato / lime juice / raw mango / ilumpan puli / kudampuli.  This is a best combination with rice, appam, kappa and bread.

Ingredients :

Shrimp : 10 large (I used Costco frozen shrimp)

Green tomatoes : 2 Cups chopped

Purple Onion : 1/2 of a large onion ( 1/3 Cup),chopped

Ginger : 1/2 inch piece, chopped

Green Chili : 2, chopped

Curry leaves : 2 springs

Turmeric Powder :1/4tsp

Chilly Powder : 1 1/4tsp

Coriander powder : 1/4tsp

Gambooge : 1 1/2 pieces

Coconut Oil : 1tsp

Coconut milk :1st, second and third extract from half coconut (I used 1 can of coconut milk)

Salt

Method :

1.  Soak gambooge in warm water for 15minutes and then clean under running water. Discard water too. 

2. In a clay pot, combine 1/2 can of coconut milk along with, 1/2 cup water,  Onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves, green chilies, green tomatoes, turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder, gambooge and salt.  Heat in medium flame.

3. When it boils add Shrimp and cook  in medium flame for 20 minutes. Adjust salt. 

4. When the gravy thickens, add remaining coconut milk and boil for 2 minutes. Add the coconut oil and cover the vessel with a lid. 

5. Serve hot with rice / appam / kappa :)

Similar recipes

• varutharacha kaaya chemmeen meen curry
• naadan meen curry

Enjoy,

Lena