I have well over 50 posts on my blog but this is probably the first time I have been challenged in quite a culinary way, by figuring out something entirely on my own. Flashback to a few weeks ago: my friend had this tangy tomato stew for lunch that I immediately liked on the first bite. The problem was that they didn’t know the recipe so I basically had to taste it again a week later to make out the probable ingredients that went into it. The most obvious ones along with tomatoes were onions and cilantro but apart from that it was basically a game of wordle with the coloured squares being the taste. Strangely enough, one of the main things that I could correctly guess (which is mainly why I liked the stew so much in the first place) was rajma (kidney bean) masala from Everest (a brand monopoly in India) because it’s the seasoning used whenever I make black bean tacos (do you want a recipe for that?).

One of the things curried tomatoes or tomato stews remind me of is Shakshuka because it is essentially tomato stew with wells that house soft cooked eggs with runny yolks. So I realized I could pair my guess game stew with crusty bread to mimic a Mediterranean breakfast experience, where you tear some bread to dip into the pan of stew! These crusty rolls are no work at all and you can rest the dough overnight so that it’ll be ready to burn your fingers out of the oven within an hour in the morning. This is a great life skills lesson if you’re an only child since you have to share the stew out of the same pan with others and a great way to make amends with your friends after a fight!

The Shakshuka experience, minus the egg

Curried tomato:

• 2 cups peeled and roughly chopped red tomatoes
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1-2 tsp. sugar (if the tomatoes are too sour)
• Salt
• 2 tsp. Everest Rajma Masala
• 2 tsp. red chili powder
• Cilantro 

In a pan, heat the olive oil and fry the cumin seeds on a low heat until crispy. Add the onions before the cumin burns and cook until pink to translucent. Add the turmeric powder and mix, followed by the chopped tomatoes (including the tomato water left on the board!). Add salt to taste (and sugar, if needed) and cover with a lid for about 5-7 minutes. Add the rajma masala and chili powder and combine. If the tomato has not broken down, you may use a masher to break the large pieces and if the stew is too thick, add a few tablespoons of water. Garnish with some chopped cilantro and remove from heat.

Crusty rolls (makes 8):

• 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups cool water

Combine the dry ingredients before adding the water. Stir until there are no lumps of flour. Cover the bowl with clingwrap and let it sit on the countertop for 8-10 hours or overnight. Once the dough has rested, place it on a floured board, sprinkle with flour and turn a few times with a bench scraper. Divide the dough into 8. Shape each part into a bun and place on a parchment lined sheet pan. Let the buns rest for about half an hour. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit or 232 degrees Celsius. Bake the buns for about 20 minutes. Once baked, allow to cool.