Tomatoes, with their tangy taste and vibrant red colour, have always been a beloved ingredient in various dishes. It's an essential everyday ingredient and that's why it's quite startling to see their prices shooting up these days. From Rs 20-30 per kg, the prices have soared to as much as Rs 80-120 per kg. Excessive rains and floods in key growing areas are believed to have affected the supply, causing the prices to rise sharply. If you are planning to cut down the use of tomatoes in your kitchen, we are here to help you. You can find many ingredients in your kitchen that will impart a similar tangy and tarty flavour to your meals that tomatoes do. Missing the bright tomato red colour in your dish? We have substitutes for that too!
Also Read: Tomato Price Hike - 7 Indian Gravy Recipes That Don't Require Tomatoes At All
Other foods like bell peppers can be used in place of tomatoes.
Try These 6 Alternatives For Flavorful And Colorful Meals
1. Vinegar:
While vinegar may not replicate the taste of tomatoes perfectly, it can serve as a decent substitute. Its sourness can add a tangy flavour to your dishes, making it a suitable replacement when tomatoes are unavailable.
2. Sour Curd:
Allowing curd to sit out for a while can increase its sourness, providing a flavour profile similar to tomatoes. By using a larger quantity of sour curd in your recipes, you can compensate for the absence of tomatoes and create flavorful and delicious dishes.
3. Tamarind:
Tamarind offers the desired tanginess in your meals and can be an excellent alternative to tomatoes in select recipes. However, it is important to note that tamarind can potentially discolour certain dishes, so caution should be exercised.
4. Mango Powder (Amchur):
Commonly used alongside or without tomatoes, mango powder, also known as amchur, is known for enhancing the flavour of various dishes such as curries, rajma chole, and dry aloo sabzis. When tomatoes are unavailable, amchur can provide the necessary acidity and sourness to your meals.
5. Bell Peppers:
Apart from their vibrant red colour, tomatoes add a distinct flavour to dishes. Roasted red bell peppers can be used to mimic the colour of tomatoes and create a similar visual appeal in your meals. By using a paste made from roasted red bell peppers, you can tempt your taste buds with visually enticing dishes.
6. Hibiscus Flower:
Surprisingly, hibiscus flowers can offer a vibrant reddish-pink hue that beautifully enhances your culinary creations without the need for tomatoes. By incorporating hibiscus flowers into your dishes, you can achieve an appealing colour while exploring a unique flavour profile.
Also Read:3 Tomato Condiment Recipes That Will Make You Give Up Tomato Ketchup
With these tomato alternatives at your disposal, you can minimize the impact of the tomato price hike on your cooking. Whether you choose to experiment with vinegar, sour curd, tamarind, mango powder, bell peppers, or hibiscus flowers, each option provides a distinct flavour and colour that can make your meals enjoyable even without tomatoes. So, embrace these alternatives and continue to create flavorful dishes in your kitchen.