Looking for a quick side dish that goes with absolutely everything? This is it. 🍅🤍
This Tomato Garlic Masala was taught to me by an anna who cooks at a friend’s place. He loves to experiment with recipes — trying new things, tweaking flavours, creating something delicious out of simple ingredients. This is one of those experiments. And it turned out absolutely amazing.
Simple ingredients. Quick method. Bold flavour.
The technique here is beautiful — cooking the tomatoes and garlic together with the skin on and then removing the tomato skin before mashing. That one step gives the masala an incredible depth and a beautifully smooth texture that you just can’t get any other way. 😍
It goes perfectly with chapathi, poori, dosa and idli. And yes — with white rice too. Because I am a rice lover and I will always find a way to eat everything with rice! 😄🍚
Quick, flavourful and absolutely delicious. Save this one! 🤍
Why You’ll Love This Tomato Garlic Masala
🍅 6 tomatoes + 10 garlic cloves — bold, tangy and deeply flavourful!
🧄 Garlic cooked with tomatoes — gives an incredible mellow roasted garlic flavour! 😍
✨ Remove tomato skin before mashing — this one technique gives the smoothest most beautiful masala!
🌿 Lots of coriander leaves — generous coriander gives freshness and beautiful colour!
🍯 Pinch of sugar — balances the tanginess of the tomatoes perfectly.
⏱️ Quick and easy — ready in minutes with basic pantry ingredients!
🥞 Goes with everything — chapathi, poori, dosa, idli and even rice! 😄
🤍 Learnt from a friend’s anna — home style cooking at its best!
How to Make Tomato Garlic Masala
This masala has one special technique that makes it incredibly smooth and flavourful — cooking the tomatoes whole and removing the skin before mashing!
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the 6 tomatoes cut in half and 10 garlic cloves directly to the oil.
Close and cook until the tomatoes turn completely soft — the steam inside the pan helps the tomatoes cook beautifully and the garlic mellows and becomes sweet and fragrant. 😍
Now open and remove the tomato skin — the skin will peel off easily after cooking. This gives the masala a beautifully smooth texture without any fibrous bits!
Mash the tomatoes and garlic really well together.
Add 1 chopped onion, curry leaves, chilli powder, garam masala, sugar and salt. Mix everything really well.
Cook until the oil starts releasing — this is the sign that everything is perfectly cooked and the masala has come together beautifully! 🔥
Add lots of chopped coriander leaves and give a final mix.
Serve hot with chapathi, poori, dosa, idli — or just mix with white rice! 😄🍚🤍
Simple. Flavourful. Quick. Never disappoints.
Tomato Garlic Masala | Quick Side Dish for Chapathi Poori Dosa
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat oil in pan. Add tomatoes cut in half and garlic cloves.
- Close and cook until tomatoes turn completely soft.
- Remove tomato skin and mash tomatoes and garlic really well.
- Add chopped onion, curry leaves, chilli powder, garam masala, sugar and salt.
- Mix well and cook until oil starts releasing.
- Add lots of chopped coriander leaves. Give final mix.
- Serve hot with chapathi, poori, dosa, idli or rice!
Video
Notes
Close and cook for even deep cooking.
Don’t reduce garlic — 10 cloves gives incredible flavour!
Mash tomatoes and garlic really well before adding other ingredients.
Cook till oil releases — sign masala is perfectly done!
Generous coriander for freshness and colour.
Pinch of sugar balances tomato tanginess.
Use ripe red tomatoes for best result.
Goes with chapathi, poori, dosa, idli and rice! 😄
Love quick side dishes? Check out my Instant Tomato Gothsu — ready in 10 minutes and perfect for idli and pongal! https://homebites365.in/instant-tomato-gothsu-easy-side-dish-idli-pongal/
Pro Tips for the Perfect Tomato Garlic Masala
- Cook tomatoes with skin on and remove after — this is the key technique! Cooking with skin gives better flavour and removing after gives a smooth beautiful masala. Don’t skip this step! 😍
- Close and cook — closing the pan while cooking the tomatoes and garlic creates steam that cooks them evenly and deeply.
- 10 garlic cloves — don’t reduce! The garlic mellows beautifully when cooked with the tomatoes and gives incredible depth of flavour.
- Mash really well — mash the cooked tomatoes and garlic completely before adding other ingredients for the smoothest masala.
- Cook till oil releases — always cook until you see oil separating. This is the sign your masala is perfectly done!
- Generous coriander — don’t be shy! Lots of fresh coriander gives beautiful freshness and colour to the masala. 🌿
- Pinch of sugar — balances the tanginess of tomatoes. Just a pinch but makes a noticeable difference! 😊
- Use ripe red tomatoes — ripe tomatoes give the best colour and sweetest flavour for this masala.
What to Serve With Tomato Garlic Masala
This masala is the most versatile side dish! 😍
🥙 Chapathi — classic and perfect! 🤍
🥞 Poori — absolutely incredible together!
🥞 Dosa — crispy dosa with this masala is outstanding!
🥞 Idli — soft idli soaking up this masala is comfort food!
🍚 White rice — yes! I mix this with hot rice and it’s absolutely delicious! 😄
There is honestly no wrong way to eat this masala. It works with every Indian bread and even rice — making it one of the most useful recipes to have in your kitchen! 🤍
Frequently Asked Questions
Why remove the tomato skin?
Cooking the tomatoes with skin on gives better flavour — but the skin itself is fibrous and changes the texture of the masala. Removing it after cooking gives you all the flavour with none of the texture issues. Beautiful smooth masala! 😍
Can I skip removing the skin?
You can — the masala will still taste good but the texture will be slightly different. Removing the skin gives a much smoother and more refined result. Take the extra step — it’s worth it!
Can I use more or fewer tomatoes?
6 tomatoes gives a generous tangy base. You can reduce to 4 for a thicker masala or increase to 8 for more tomato flavour. Adjust spices accordingly! 😊
Why cook garlic with tomatoes instead of separately?
Cooking garlic alongside the tomatoes mellows its sharpness and gives a beautiful sweet roasted garlic flavour that’s completely different from raw or separately fried garlic. This technique is the secret! 🧄
How long does this masala last?
Best eaten fresh for the best flavour and colour! 🤍
Can I add vegetables to this?
No . It changes the taste
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below — did you have it with chapathi or rice? 😄🍅🤍
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