Tomato onion curry is tomato based Indian curry perfect to be used with Indian flatbreads like chapathi, poori etc or rice. This onion tomato based gravy for chapathi & rice is super easy to make and it is delicious and healthy as well.
Tomato onion curry is also popularly known as thakkali ulli curry for chapathi in Kerala, South India and this is a simple and popular curry from Kerala which is enjoyed with chapathi, poori etc.
You can add a little cream or coconut milk once its prepared to make it even more delicious, but that is not really needed.
This simple and easy tomato onion curry recipe is very flexible and you can easily adjust the flavors as you wish.
You can make it very mild curry, medium or spicy as you wish. And you can use your favorite spices as well.
We use garam masala powder as one of the most flavoring spices to make this onion tomato gravy or curry.
You may also try curry powder instead if you wish. Make sure to use ginger garlic paste (or freshly crushed garlic or grated ginger) for the best results!
If you add many tomatoes, the sourness will be more, so in my recipe I am using the right amount of tomatoes so it won’t be too sour.
However if you don’t like sourness at all, you may add a spoon of sugar or jaggery to reduce the sourness.
This is popularly known as ulli thakkali curry (tomato curry with onions) in South India and Kerala where thakkali is tomato and ulli means onions.
See my post on tomato recipes for chapathi & rice
We do not add any water to this curry, as the juice from the tomato is enough for the gravy which is thick.
So let us see how to make this easy, healthy and yummy tomato onion curry for chapathi, puri (poori) or rice following this easy recipe.
How To Make Tomato Onion Curry?
We need the following ingredients to make tomato onion curry.
Ingredients to make tomato onion curry
1 large onion
2 medium sized tomatoes
2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
1 green chilies optional
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon red chili powder
2 tablespoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
salt as required
2 tablespoons oil plus 2 tablespoons more for adding later
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
3 dried red chilies (broken) optional
Step By Step Instructions
Peel the onion and slice in long slices.
Heat a pan and add 2 tablespoons of oil.
Add mustard seeds and when the mustard seeds splutter, add the broked dried red chilies.
As the red chilies are fried, add the green chili and lightly fry.
Add the onion slices and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add ginger garlic paste and salt and mix everything well.
Saute the onions in ginger garlic paste for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the onions are sauteed and transparent in color. (you don’t have to brown the onions). Keep stirring occasionally to avoid the onions sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Meanwhile cut the tomatoes in long slices and keep aside.
After the onions are sauteed, add the sliced tomatoes and add salt (if required) and mix well.
Add the extra 2 tablespoons of oil and mix to blend everything with the oil.
You can saute the onion tomato mixture for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the raw tomatoes start getting cooked.
If you don’t want the tomatoes to be mixed with the curry, you don’t have to saute it much as the tomatoes will blend with the curry very fast.
Since we are making the tomato onion curry with some gravy, we can saute them for little longer so the tomatoes will get cooked and the juices from the cooked tomatoes will make up for the gravy.
I recommend cooking the onion tomato mixture for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and the gravy is made up from the juice of the cooked tomatoes.
You can wait more time until the gravy starts separating itself from the oil which will be perfect.
Add all the spices, mix well and cook the curry for another 2 to 3 minutes in low heat until the spices are all well blended with the curry.
Now your tomato onion curry for chapathi or rice is ready to serve!
Notes: If you don’t have ginger garlic paste, you can use freshly crushed ginger and garlic.
Enjoy this easy tomato onion curry as a healthy and delicious side dish for chapathi, poori, rice, or even idli or dosa.
Step by step photos from the preparation
I have already added curry recipes for chapathi using just tomatoes and just onions (not a mix of both). You can see those posts below.
More Similar Posts In This Blog:
Simple & easy tomato curry for chapathi
Tomato Fry Kerala Style Recipe For Chapathi & Poori
By combining onions and tomatoes, this tomato onion curry is more healthy but it is still very easy to do as well!
Below you can get th recipe in detail.
Indian Tomato Onion Curry – Side Dish For Chapathi & Poori
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 2 medium sized tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
- 1 green chilies optional
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 2 tablespoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- salt as required
- 2 tablespoons oil plus 2 tablespoons more for adding later
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 3 dry red chilies broken (optional)
Instructions
- Peel the onion and slice in long slices.
- Heat a pan and add 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Add mustard seeds and when the mustard seeds splutter, add the red chilies.
- As the red chilies are fried, add the green chili and lightly fry.
- Add the onion slices and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add ginger garlic paste and salt and mix everything well.
- Saute the onions in ginger garlic paste for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the onions are sauteed and transparent in color. (you don’t have to brown the onions). Keep stirring occasionally to avoid the onions sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Meanwhile cut the tomatoes in long slices and keep aside.
- After the onions are sauteed, add the sliced tomatoes and add salt (if required) and mix well.
- Add the extra 2 tablespoons of oil and mix to blend everything with the oil.
- You can saute the onion tomato mixture for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the raw tomatoes start getting cooked. If you don’t want the tomatoes to be mixed with the curry, you don’t have to saute it much as the tomatoes will blend with the curry very fast. Since we are making the tomato onion curry with some gravy, we can saute them for little longer so the tomatoes will get cooked and the juices from the cooked tomatoes will make up for the gravy.
- I recommend cooking the onion tomato mixture for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and the gravy is made up from the juice of the cooked tomatoes. You can wait more time until the gravy starts separating itself from the oil which will be perfect.
- Add all the spices, mix well and cook the curry for another 2 to 3 minutes in low heat until the spices are all well blended with the curry. Now your tomato onion curry for chapathi or rice is ready to serve!
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