Spicy Indian Tomato Shorba

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 serrano chile, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus small cilantro leaves

Preparation

1. 1. Dip tomatoes in a pan of boiling water until skins pull off easily with a knife tip, 15 seconds. Cool, peel, core, quarter, and seed.
2. 2. Warm oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add spices and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. In a blender, purée onion, garlic, chile, ginger, 1 cup coconut milk, the tomato paste, and spice mixture.
3. 3. Add half of tomatoes and their juices and whirl until very smooth. Pour into a stainless steel bowl. Set aside 2 tomato pieces. Purée remaining tomatoes and stir into bowl with the lemon juice, sugar, and salt.
4. 4. Nest bowl in ice water; stir often until cold, 15 minutes. Stir in chopped cilantro and more coconut milk if you like. Chop reserved tomato. Garnish bowls with tomato and cilantro leaves.
5. Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1-cup serving.