All of us have experienced the delight of adding tomatoes to so many of our sauces, curries, soups, salsas and even yes even drinks. Did you just think Bloody Mary? The bright red color and the juicy tangy flavor, that sizzles up any recipe you add it to, make tomato a key ingredient in many popular recipes across cuisines. Coming to Indian cooking, well it’s been used since ages in most curries and surely adds to their taste and flavor.
Botanically, the tomato is a fruit, though its used as a vegetable for culinary purposes. Tomatoes are a low-calorie fruit, and excellent source of anti-oxidants, fiber and minerals. They are said to be good sources of vitamin C and Vitamin A.
Lycopene present in tomatoes is responsible for the bright red color and is also said to help prevent cancer. Tomato juice is also considered to help reduce urinary tract symptoms. They are also said to be good for the heart. Additionally, tomatoes help make the skin look younger and make a great option for a natural homemade face pack.
While choosing tomatoes, check for a bright red color and make sure that the skin is smooth and not shriveled or cracked.
Can we really do without salsa? To prepare fresh tomato salsa, take:
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 3 ripe tomatoes chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped
- 1 tablespoon cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- salt and pepper
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients and refrigerate.
- Serve with chips
Let’s use more of those bright red juicy wonders. Make more tomato puree, juice it up, and add to salads and veggie soups. Live it up, with tomatoes!
*Image courtesy Flickr creative commons.
If you enjoyed reading this post do vote for it and leave a comment for me to know what you think!
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Voted. Great blog. I love tomatoes too, can't live without them! Please check out my latest article Fuelling Around, for some advice on reducing your carbon footprint.
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Thanks...they indeed are great...I already did check out your blog and voted too.
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I voted. Tomatoes are delicious and I agree, I don't know what I would do if I had to stop eating them.You mention that tomatoes are red in colour. Look at this picture to see colours that vary from purple to orange to yellow to green - and they are all ripe. They taste a little different, too. http://www.google.ca
/imgres?imgurl=http://www.agritrue.com if a person is picky and doesn't like vegetables, I find that hiding them in a creamy soup made with tomatoes covers the taste so that person gets his / her vitamins! Please cojme read my article, 25 Years of Ozone Protection, and vote if you enjoyed it. Thank you./blog /wp-content /uploads /2012 /07 /heirloom-tomatoes.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.agritrue.com /blog /heirloom-tomatoes-old-is-new-again&h=413&w=550&sz=89&tbnid=BaeUmUaj45M1DM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&prev= /search%3Fq%3Dheirloom%2Btomatoes%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=heirloom+tomatoes&usg=__Nh3Z4ZuclFKWio2SHotu2WguYmc=&docid=E3ENrMMhio9WcM&hl=es&sa=X&ei=RLp9UPqTBYOe8QT1zIHQBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CC8Q9QEwAw&dur=1068And -
What a great picture Anita, thanks for sharing that! I didn't know tomatoes come in all those colours, I have mostly only had the red ones. Although I did have yellow ones once on a pizza in a restaurant in Italy, delicious! And as you say, they taste a bit different from the red ones.
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Thanks for sharing this and adding to our info...I will surely check your post.
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It is hard to believe that they naturally come in other colors. what part of the world are you in Anita? I have seen green and yellowish tomatoes here in India but they are rarely ripe.
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I'm American. These are not common here either, though. I shop farmers' markets and these are the types of tomatoes that almost no one buys anymore because of large corporations opting for monocultures instead of variety. I especially love purple tomatoes - they are very sweet! Maybe if you try to locate small farmers, you might be able to find different varieties of these, and potatoes, too.
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All right! I will keep an eye open for those. Thanks for sharing this (eye opening!) information :)
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voted! such a versatile ball of red.
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wohoo..short and simple..cheers for tomatoes!