Tomato/Egg Aviyal

This recipe is versatile in that it can be used to make a vegetarian curry or an egg curry. It's something my mom's mother used to make often, with eggs, and the recipe was given to me by my mom's sisters-Geetha aunty and Beena aunty. Although my mom too had spoken to me about this dish, she didn't really know the exact recipe, but everyone was unanimous in their opinion that this was an easy and mouthwatering curry.

I don't think I will ever have the kind of culinary skill that my grandma had-she was known to be a fantastic cook. In fact, my mom always says that she could eat rice with just a sambhar if it was cooked by her mom-you didn't need any other side dish, meat or fish, pickles or pappads, etc. I think my grandma's culinary skills were matched by her generous, compassionate, and motherly qualities-traits that my mom and her sisters seem to have inherited! My only regret is that I didn't get the time to get to know my grandma really well-she passed away when I was only 9 years old. But I think a part of her lives on in me, through my mother-after all, isn't that what life is all about, in the end? So I like to collect and make recipes that she used to make and somehow it makes me feel connected to her in some way. So here's to her tomato and/or egg aviyal!

To serve 2

1. 3 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped coarsely
2. 1 large onion, chopped coarsely
3. 3 green chillies, slit open
4. 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut, ground to a fine paste with a little water
5. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
6. 2 teaspoons chilli powder (adjust to your liking)
7. 1 sprig curry leaves
8. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
9. Salt to taste
10. 2 eggs, hardboiled, shelled, and halved (you can leave them whole too or add more eggs, obviously...)

• In a pan, add the tomatoes, onions, green chillies, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and 1/4th cup water.
• Cover with a lid and cook on low heat until the tomatoes get pulpy.
• Now add the ground coconut paste and stir well. Simmer for a minute.
• Add the boiled eggs and stir.
• Pour in the oil and the curry leaves.
• Remove from fire and serve hot.
• Goes well with poories, rotis, or even rice.

TIPS:

If making this into a vegetarian curry, just omit the eggs and do everything else the same way.

It tastes even better with coconut oil.

Add more water at the later stage to get the consistency you like for your gravy.