Tomato Saar (Maharashtrian Style Tomato Soup)

Steps

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1. 1
   Make crosscut incisions on the tomato skins. Blanch them in boiling water for 5-6 minutes until the skins begin to loosen and come away from the flesh.
   ▶ ≈1:36
2. 2
   Immediately transfer the cooked tomatoes to ice-cold water for 1-2 minutes. This stops the cooking and makes peeling much easier. Gently remove and discard the skins.
   ▶ ≈1:59
3. 3
   Put the peeled tomatoes and beetroot (if using) into a blender and grind into a fine, smooth puree.
   ▶ ≈2:27
4. 4
   Strain the puree through a fine sieve into the cooking pot, ensuring a silky, velvety smooth consistency. Discard any fibrous solids that remain in the sieve.
   ▶ ≈2:48
5. 5
   In the blender, combine grated fresh coconut, ginger, green chillies, and 2.5 cups of water. Blend until smooth to extract the coconut milk flavour.
   ▶ ≈3:08
6. 6
   Line a sieve with a thin cotton or muslin cloth. Pour the blended coconut mixture through it, then squeeze the cloth firmly to extract all the creamy coconut milk into a bowl.
   ▶ ≈3:41
7. 7
   Put the coconut solids back into the blender with the remaining 2.5 cups of water and grind again. Strain and squeeze through the muslin cloth a second time to extract all the coconut flavour and milk.
   ▶ ≈4:02
8. 8
   Pour the prepared coconut milk into the pot containing the tomato puree. Add salt and 2-3 tablespoons of sugar, stirring well to combine.
   ▶ ≈4:17
9. 9
   In a small bowl, mix rice flour with water to form a thin slurry. Slowly pour this into the soup while stirring constantly. Turn on the heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
   ▶ ≈4:37
10. 10
    Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes more. The soup will deepen to a beautiful reddish-orange colour and reach the proper consistency. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.
    ▶ ≈5:12
11. 11
    Heat ghee in a small pan over low-to-medium heat. Add the urad dal and cook, stirring frequently, until it turns a light golden brown and releases a nutty aroma.
    ▶ ≈5:41
12. 12
    Once the dal is golden, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves. Let them bloom for a moment in the hot ghee, then pour this entire tempering mixture into the tomato soup and stir well to distribute evenly.
    ▶ ≈5:56
13. 13
    Stir in the freshly chopped coriander leaves. The soup is now ready to serve. The beautiful reddish-orange colour accented with green herbs and golden-brown tempering makes an appetizing presentation.
    ▶ ≈6:10