Food talk
 Tomato soiree

Tamatar teen pyaaza can be enjoyed with phulka, spread atop hot toast, used
as a filling for wraps, or a base for an unusual raita, writes Pushpesh Pant

WE have been here and told you this before. Do pyaaza is one of the enduring enigmas of Indian cuisine. Does the delicacy get its name from onions being put in twice during cooking or is it because twice the quantity of the main ingredient is used? Some credit Mulla do Pyaaza (whoever the gentleman may have been) with creating the dish.

Venerable royal chef Raja Sahib of Sailana dispensed with the problem in right regal disdain. For him, anything added to pyaaz was do pyaaza. What has intrigued us the most is the prefix do-two, why not teen-three? After losing many a night’s sleep we decided to get it out of our system.

We present before you a 100 per cent ‘created’ dish not merely a jugalbandi but a troika the tamatar teen pyaaza. As the name gives away, three types of onions are used in almost equal measure — regular red onions, Madras pearl onions and spring onions. Tomatoes — cherry ones — are bara-e-naam —`A0just for the sake of name and garnish.

The greens are also used to provide body and a healthy refreshing feel. The contrasting textures allow you to enjoy the myriad joys of the pungent bulb.

A minimalist approach to spicing is adopted. What commends the dish is the hassle-free recipe. You can enjoy it with phulka, spread it atop hot toast, use it as a filling for wraps, including dosai, treat it as a cold salad or a base for an unusual raita. Crown it with a poached egg and forget about eggs Neapolitan forever. If you find our recipe too mild, nothing stops you from spiking it with about half a dozen or more pickled onions.

Chef’s corner

Ingredients

Onions (medium sized) 200 gm

Spring onions 200 gm

Pearl onions (Madras variety) 200 gm

Cherry tomatoes 50 gm

Cloves two to three

Cumin seeds ¼ tsp

Red chilli powder ¼ tsp

A pinch of turmeric powder

A pinch of black rock salt

Oil 1tbsp

Salt to taste

Method
Peel and wash the onions. Slice into thin round rings. Halve the spring onions after removing the roots clinging to the bulbs and washing thoroughly. Chop the greens and reserve. Peel pearl onions and boil in 2 cups of salted water for about five minutes. Drain and place in cold water.

Heat oil in a shallow wide pan. Put in the cloves. When these change colour, add the cumin seeds. When these begin to crackle add the onion rings. Stir delicately over medium flame and when these are lightly brown add the spring onions along with the greens. Sprinkle the powdered spices with the black rock salt and salt. Mix well to blend. Finally add boiled pearl onions and the cherry tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for three to four minutes. Squeeze some drops of limejuice and half a spoon of honey if you wish to add a touch of exotica to the essentially plebian vegetable.





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