Tomato Curry

Optional: Peel & deseed the tomatoes by coring the tomatoes, dropping them into a saucepan-full of boiling water for 10 seconds. Then hold them over a sink and pull off the skins. Cut the tomatoes open, squeeze out and discard the seeds. Coarsely chop the remaining pulp.

• 1 tbsp. butter or oil
• 1 ½ cups chopped onions
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 small bell pepper, minced
• 6 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded
• 2 cups tomato purée
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. cumin
• Optional:
  ½ tsp. ground fenugreek
  ½ tsp. dried coriande
  ¼ tsp. cayenne (more, to taste)
• Optional:
  3 hardboiled eggs, peeled and cut into wedges
  ½ pound firm tofu, cut into small cubes
  Fresh cilantro, minced

1. Melt butter (or heat oil) in a Dutch oven. Add onion, salt, and mustard seeds. Sauté over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the onions soften and the seeds begin to pop.
2. Add ginger, garlic, and minced bell pepper, and cook another 5 minutes, or until the pepper begins to be tender.
3. Add remaining ingredients, mix well, and heat just to boiling, stirring frequently. Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes.
4. Serve hot, over rice, with wedges of egg or cubes of tofu artfully arranged on top, and a final sprinkling of minced cilantro.

Serves 4-5