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    Home » Side Dishes For Idli-Dosa » Instant Pot Tomato Kurma | Thakkali Kurma

    Instant Pot Tomato Kurma | Thakkali Kurma

    Posted on March 4, 2022 · Last Updated on March 4, 2022 · By Srividhya G · 21 Comments

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    tomato kurma with text overlay for pinterest

    Delicious South Indian style tomato kurma made in Instant Pot, a perfect side for idli, dosa, idiyappam, sevai, and roti! Check out how I made this flavorful coconut-based gravy, popularly known as thakkali kuruma, with detailed step-wise pictures.

    tomato kurma served with dill dosa
    Jump to:
    • Delicious sides for idli and dosa
    • Do I need Instant Pot to make this kurma?
    • Ingredients required
    • Dietary specifications and serving suggestions
    • Prep-work
    • How to make tomato kurma
    • Recipe notes
    • Explore other tomato recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    Delicious sides for idli and dosa

    I know nothing can beat the combo of chutney and sambar for idli and dosa. But I love to try different combos for idli and dosa, and one such combo is the tomato kuruma. If you are looking for simple sides for idli and dosa other than chutney and sambar, check out my Kumbakonam kadappa, manjal sambar(Bombay chutney), and gothsu. 

    I love this tomato kurma recipe very much, and you can serve this kurma with multiple dishes. If I prepare this kuruma, we have it with dosa for one meal, and I serve the same kuruma with idli or roti or sometimes with rice for another meal. It is an excellent recipe for weekdays.

    Even though it’s simple and humble onion-tomato gravy, the fresh ground coconut-based masala elevates the taste and makes it rich and delicious.I adapted this recipe from a Tamil magazine Aval Vikatan’s Supplementary Recipe Book. My favorite chef Revathy Shanmugam wrote all the recipes in that particular supplement. This one recipe is our family favorite. I adjusted the spice level, added some mint leaves, and made this in Instant Pot.  

    Do I need Instant Pot to make this kurma?

    You can make this recipe without an electric pressure cooker like Instant Pot or stove-top pressure cooker. But because of the convenience purpose, I went with Instant Pot. The pressure builds and releases within 15 minutes for this dish, and on the stove-top, we cook more or less the same time so that the tomatoes get mushy. If you use a stove-top pressure cooker, cook for two whistles. In the recipe instructions, I have provided the details; please check. 

    Ingredients required

    The ingredient list might sound lengthy, but the procedure is straightforward. We make two pastes here – green masala paste and white coconut paste. 

    ingredients required for green paste for making the thakkali kurma

    For the green masala – We need cilantro, mint leaves, green chilies, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, ginger-garlic paste, and ground coriander for the green masala. 

    ingredients required to temper

    To Temper – We need oil, curry leaves, cloves, crushed cardamom, and cinnamon pieces.


    For the coconut masala – We need grated coconut, roasted gram (pottukadalai), and cashew nuts. 

    ingredients required for making the white masala

    Other ingredients – The other main ingredients are onions, tomatoes, salt, and ground turmeric. Use nice juicy and ripe tomatoes. I have tried this recipe with Roma tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes. I prefer these two varieties. We need water too to grind the masala and also for the gravy. 

    other ingredients for making thakkali kurma

    Check the recipe card for detailed measures. 

    Dietary specifications and serving suggestions

    This tomato kurma recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free. For a nut-free version, skip the cashews and add a few more roasted gram or hemp seeds too.You can serve this kurma with idli, dosa, idiyappam, sevai, roti, or parotta. I served this with dill dosa. 

    thakkali kurma served in ceramic bowl served with dill dosa

    Prep-work

    • Soak the roasted gram and cashews in ¼ cup of water for 10 minutes. Parallelly you can chop the onion and tomatoes and prepare the green masala.
    • Grind all the ingredients given under green masala by adding ¼ cup of water and set it aside.
    ground green masala
    • Now grind the coconut, soaked cashews, and roasted gram by adding ½ cup of water and set it aside. 
    white masala

    How to make tomato kurma

    • Set the Instant Pot in saute mode, and when it is hot, add the oil. Wait for 30 seconds, and add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and curry leaves. Fry for 30 to 45 seconds, and then add the chopped onion and saute for five minutes. 
    sauteing the onions
    • Add the chopped tomatoes, green masala, turmeric powder, and salt.
    adding the tomatoes, turmeric and green masala
    • Mix well and add 2 cups of water.
    add the water to the tomato green masala mix
    • Turn off the Instant Pot and close it. Ensure the sealing ring is in place and set the vent to the sealing position. Pressure cook for two minutes, and after the cooking is done, naturally release the pressure. 

    cooked tomato kurma
    • Open the Instant Pot, set it in saute mode, and mix and mash the tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes, and then add the ground coconut masala.
    adding the white masala
    • Mix well and simmer again for 5 minutes. Finally, add two more tbsp of cilantro and turn off the Instant Pot. 

    Recipe notes

    • If using a stove-top pressure cooker, cook for two whistles, let the pressure subside naturally, and open the pressure cooker.
    • If making in the open-pot method, cover and cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy after adding them. 
    • Instead of ginger-garlic paste, you can use ½ inch ginger and two garlic cloves. 
    • Adjust the green chilies and salt according to your taste preference and depending upon the tomatoes’ sourness.
    overhead shot of instant pot thakkali kuruma with wooden spoon inside

    Explore other tomato recipes

    • Tomato-Onion Relish | Instant Pot Tomato Onion Thokku
    • Tomato Rice | Thakkali Saadam
    • Thakkali Thokku | Tomato Thokku
    • Foxtail Millet Tomato Biryani | Thinai Thakkali Biryani

    PS:  If you try this tomato kurma, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it ASAP. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas! Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more recipe updates! You can also sign-up for my newsletter for weekly updates.

    📖 Recipe

    overhead shot of tomato kurma with curry leaves on the side
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    5 from 1 vote

    Instant Pot Tomato Kurma | Thakkali Kurma

    Delicious South Indian style tomato kurma made in Instant Pot, a perfect side for idli, dosa, idiyappam, sevai, and roti!
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: South Indian, TamilNadu
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 117kcal
    Author: Srividhya G

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
    • Mixer jar or coffee grinder

    Ingredients

    Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml;

      For the green paste

      • 1 tsp ground coriander
      • 2 tsp poppy seeds
      • 8 to 10 mint leaves
      • 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
      • 1 tsp fennel seeds
      • 3 green chilies
      • ¼ cup cilantro chopped (loosely packed)

      To Temper

      • 2 tbsp oil
      • 3 green cardamoms crushed
      • 2 cloves
      • 2- inch cinnamon piece
      • 6 to 7 curry leaves

      For the coconut masala

      • ⅓ cup coconut grated
      • 4 whole cashews
      • 2 tsp roasted gram/pottukadalai

      Other ingredients

      • 1 cup chopped onion approx 100 grams
      • 3 cups chopped tomatoes approx 430 grams
      • ½ tsp ground turmeric
      • 1.5 tsp salt
      • 2.75 cups water divided
      • 2 tbsp cilantro finely chopped

      Instructions

      Prep-work

      • Soak the roasted gram and cashews in ¼ cup of water for 10 minutes. Parallelly you can chop the onion and tomatoes and prepare the green masala.
      • Grind all the ingredients given under green masala by adding ¼ cup of water and set it aside.
      • Now grind the coconut, soaked cashews, and roasted gram by adding ½ cup of water and set it aside.

      How to make tomato kurma

      • Set the Instant Pot in saute mode, and when it is hot, add the oil. Wait for 30 seconds, and add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and curry leaves. Fry for 30 to 45 seconds, and then add the chopped onion and saute for five minutes.
      • Add the chopped tomatoes, green masala, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well and add 2 cups of water. Turn off the Instant Pot and close it. Ensure the sealing ring is in place and set the vent to the sealing position. Pressure cook for two minutes, and after the cooking is done, naturally release the pressure.
      • Open the Instant Pot, set it in saute mode, and mix and mash the tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes, and then add the ground coconut masala. Mix well and simmer again for 5 minutes. Finally, add two more tbsp of cilantro and turn off the Instant Pot.

      Notes

      • If using a stove-top pressure cooker, cook for two whistles, let the pressure subside naturally, and open the pressure cooker.
      • If making in the open-pot method, cover and cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy after adding them. 
      • Instead of ginger-garlic paste, you can use ½ inch ginger and two garlic cloves. 
      • Adjust the green chilies and salt according to your taste preference and depending upon the tomatoes’ sourness.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 117kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 838mg | Potassium: 338mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 291IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 2mg

      I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

      Tried this recipe?Mention @vidhyasvegetariankitchen or tag #vidhyasvegkitchen
      For Video RecipesCheck out My YouTube Channel

      Update notes – Earlier posted in 2016, now updated the post with recipe card and new pics.

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      Filed Under: Gravy, Instant Pot Recipes, Side Dishes For Idli-Dosa Tagged With: CC challenge, CCChallenge, dosa and idiappam, how to prepare thakkali kurma, how to prepare tomato kurma, kurma for idli, Revathi Shanmugam style tomato kurma, sides for idli and dosa, sides for roti, thakkali kuruma, tomato kuruma

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Manjiri says

        August 07, 2022 at 6:40 pm

        Simple yet delicious recipe..Idli and Dosas are frequent in my home and this will be a very nice side dish..definitely going to make it..

        Reply
      2. ALBONI says

        March 13, 2017 at 7:40 pm

        Looks tempting !!! Will surely try it when tomatoes are in season …..

        Reply
        • Srividhya G says

          March 14, 2017 at 7:37 am

          Thanks Alboni.

          Reply
      3. Pavani says

        June 24, 2016 at 5:24 am

        That is a delicious looking tomato kurma Vidhya. I will try it out some time.

        Reply
        • Srividhya G says

          June 26, 2016 at 1:42 pm

          Thanks Pavani.

          Reply
      4. Mullai Madavan says

        June 21, 2016 at 6:10 pm

        I too love Revathy Shanmugam’s recipes, tomato kurma is one flavorful gravy which suits for any dish be it idli dosa or chapati poori. Picture perfect!

        Reply
        • Srividhya G says

          June 22, 2016 at 9:51 am

          Her recipes are so great naa.. Love all her TV shows and the she presents.. errr I can keep talking about her. Thanks pa

          Reply
      5. Mireille Roc (@ChefMireille) says

        June 18, 2016 at 7:57 am

        korma looks so thick and creamy – perfect with roti

        Reply
        • Srividhya G says

          June 18, 2016 at 9:42 pm

          Thanks a lot :-)

          Reply
      6. Nish Kitchen says

        June 17, 2016 at 12:04 am

        Two simple ingredients turned into an awesome curry! This certainly looks so flavorful. And delicious, too!

        Reply
        • Srividhya G says

          June 17, 2016 at 9:15 am

          Thankoo :-)

          Reply
      7. kushigalu says

        June 15, 2016 at 8:20 am

        This recipe is loaded with full and flavors and looks so delicious!

        Reply
        • Srividhya G says

          June 15, 2016 at 8:23 am

          Thanks a lot kushi. :-)

          Reply
      8. Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says

        June 14, 2016 at 1:25 am

        Love the name of this kurma. Sounds and looks so intriguing and full of awesome flavours. Would give it a go sometime! :)

        Reply
        • Srividhya G says

          June 14, 2016 at 7:47 am

          Thanks a lot Anu :-)

          Reply
      9. Veg Indian Cooking says

        June 12, 2016 at 11:35 pm

        Loved this Tomato Kurma . Perfect and amazingly flavorful delicious recipe. YUMMY!

        Reply
        • Srividhya G says

          June 13, 2016 at 8:10 am

          Thanks a lot :-)

          Reply
      10. Srivalli says

        June 12, 2016 at 11:15 pm

        That’s a wonderful version..I make tomato kurma for appam regularly..this sounds like a good version to try!

        Reply
        • Srividhya G says

          June 13, 2016 at 8:08 am

          Thanks a lot Valli. :-)

          Reply
      11. Bikramjit says

        June 12, 2016 at 12:19 pm

        Yum yum yum yummmmmmmm

        Reply
        • Srividhya G says

          June 13, 2016 at 8:07 am

          Thanks a lot :-)

          Reply

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