Tomatoes set to touch ₹300 per kg; 6 tangy alternatives to add in your curries

The prices of tomatoes have been on the rise for the past many days and are soon expected to reach ₹300 per kg in the coming weeks due to incessant rainfall in many parts of the country, as per media reports. This is of course a bad news for tomato lovers who love to add this juicy, and tangy ingredient to their salads, curries, soups, smoothies and other dishes.Tomatoes can indeed add their own taste and flavour to a delicacy and the food may not taste as good without them unless of course you are ready to shell ₹300 for each kilogram of tomatoes. In case you are choosing to let the prices stabilise, here are some alternatives suggested by Celebrity Chef Shipra Khanna that will provide the much-needed tangy taste to your curries or soups. (Also read: Tomato price may go till ₹300 per kg in coming weeks: Report)

1. Curd

Best suited to replace tomatoes for curries, curd can provude a slightly tangy yet creamy texture when cooked whether it’s chickpeas or potatoes. This will be a pleasant change from your routine tomato-onion style curry.

2. Tamarind

Imli or tamarind is added in many South Indian delicacies and in Middle-Eastern dishes. The sourness that comes from tomatoes can be easily replaced by tamarind. The lovers of chatpati dishes or chaat will love this tamarind-flavoured curry.

3. Mango powder/Amchoor

In Indian kitchen mango powder or amchoor is added less frequently. However, it is popularly added in stuffed bittergourd, chickpea curry, deep-fried snacks or soups. Amchoor can lend the perfect tangy flavour to any dish that requires tomatoes.

4. Kokum

A substitute for tamarind or imli, dried kokum fruit is soaked in water and turned into pulp for use in curries. It has a unique taste to it and give your curry a delicious flavour.

5. Lemon juice

While lemon juice can add sourness, it may not help with the consistency. You can add it in veg stir-fries, dal, and salads if you are missing tomatoes too much.

6. Raw mango

It’s the season of mangoes and our kitchens are fully stocked with all varieties of mangoes. The best substitute by far for tomatoes is raw mango as it replaces the sweet -sour flavour of tomatoes and adds a creamy texture to the dish as well.