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! Check out how I made this flavorful coconut-based gravy, popularly known as thakkali kuruma, with detailed step-wise pictures.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

Explore other tomato recipes

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.

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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.

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