How important are tomatoes in your local dishes?
By dpk262006
@dpk262006 (58675)
Delhi, India
November 6, 2017 10:01pm CST
In traditional Indian dishes, tomato is one of main ingredient to make a dish tasty. We invariably use tomato in many dishes to give it sour taste. However, presently, prices of tomatoes are skyrocketing here in Delhi due to short supply of tomatoes. The short supply is due to fewer crops. Floods in many tomato growing states have destroyed the crop. The tomatoes are selling @ Rs.80-100/- per Kg.
What are prices of tomatoes at your place? Do you use tomatoes while preparing your dishes and how important ingredient it is in your dishes? Could you make your native dishes even without tomatoes or using any of its substitutes?
Image courtesy - Google
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14 responses
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
7 Nov 17
You live in Switzerland but you buy your tomatoes from Italy?
2$ per Kg sounds better than our price here, at the moment.
2$ per Kg sounds better than our price here, at the moment.1 person likes this
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
7 Nov 17
@LadyDuck I did not have any idea that you live near border of Italy and you have the choice and liberty to buy tomatoes from Italy. May be due to weather conditions Italian tomatoes are better than what is available in Switzerland.
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@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
7 Nov 17
@dpk262006 Yes, I live 5 Km from the border and there are several things that I buy in Italy. Italian tomatoes are better and they cost a lot less than those I can find here in Switzerland.
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@much2say (53958)
• Los Angeles, California
9 Nov 17
Oh gosh - there's a huge range of prices with tomatoes - especially since we have many varieties in our markets (I just can't think of the the prices at the moment 
). But there can be very cheap (which most likely aren't too tasty unless cooked) to very seasonal ones that can be on the pricey side. Here we can get tomatoes all year round - but besides fresh, there is always the canned ones. There are certain dishes that I cook that require tomatoes, like spaghetti sauce, and fresh tomatoes are always good additions in salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers, pizza topping, salsa/guacamole. I love Persian style roasted tomatoes with basmati rice 
!! 
). But there can be very cheap (which most likely aren't too tasty unless cooked) to very seasonal ones that can be on the pricey side. Here we can get tomatoes all year round - but besides fresh, there is always the canned ones. There are certain dishes that I cook that require tomatoes, like spaghetti sauce, and fresh tomatoes are always good additions in salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers, pizza topping, salsa/guacamole. I love Persian style roasted tomatoes with basmati rice !! 1 person likes this
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
9 Nov 17
OH! I see you have different varieties of tomatoes available at your place, however, you just cannot recall the prices. It seems that you don't buy tomatoes regularly or at least you have not recently bought tomatoes. 
. It is good that you get tomatoes all year around and you have the option to use canned tomatoes. You are very right that fresh tomatoes are used in lots of things.
. It is good that you get tomatoes all year around and you have the option to use canned tomatoes. You are very right that fresh tomatoes are used in lots of things. 1 person likes this
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
10 Nov 17
@much2say It means that there are different varieties and different way of packaging tomatoes. I thought bargaining is prevalent in India only, I did not know that it happens at your place also. . The small tomatoes called cherry tomatoes are also available here but we rarely use it. We use biz size tomatoes.
. The small tomatoes called cherry tomatoes are also available here but we rarely use it. We use biz size tomatoes.1 person likes this
@much2say (53958)
• Los Angeles, California
9 Nov 17
@dpk262006 Depending on the variety, they are priced individually, by the pound, or by the basket/container. I go to different markets all the time . . . and if I need them, I get them regardless of price (but do note I am a bargain shopper whenever possible). There is a small tomato variety that I LOVE . . . it's like a cherry tomato but shaped more oblong . . . very red and very sweet . . . they are called sugar plum tomatoes! I only eat it fresh . . . it comes in a small basket - and the store where I get it from it is always organic . . . I believe it was $3.99.
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
14 Nov 17
It is interesting to hear that you use tomatoes extensively in your dishes How much does it cost at your place?
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
15 Nov 17
@SIMPLYD I am not clear if it could be termed as cheaper or not. Here our purchase tomatoes by Kilos and not per piece.
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@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
14 Nov 17
@dpk262006 I think it is about 1.50 pesos or $.03 a piece. I like eating tomatoes cooked or uncooked.
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@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
13 Nov 17
It's not used very much in our local dishes, but I like to cook Mediterranean dishes so I use them pretty often in my cooking.
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
14 Nov 17
Local dishes are made with tomatoes but you use them in Mediterranean dishes quite often. Could you name a few?
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
14 Nov 17
@cahaya1983 I checked about Moussake, it appears a yummy dish.
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
1 Dec 17
It appears that you do not make dishes with the help of tomatoes and you occasionally buy tomatoes and you are not aware of its prices?
@Hannihar (129481)
• Israel
1 Dec 17
@dpk262006
dpk, I buy one or two of them along with other vegetables. I use them in salad and also when I make toast and have put them in tuna.
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
1 Dec 17
@Hannihar I understand that you use tomatoes in salad and eat tomatoes with tuna. Next time, when you buy, just check the price of tomatoes per Kilogram.
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
19 May 21
Yes, our Indian dishes remain incomplete without the use of tomatoes. Do you cook regularly dishes using tomatoes?
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
20 May 21
@Rashnag Which is your favorite dish to cook?
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
7 Nov 17
It is surprising that you do not use tomatoes in your food but you eat it raw. I think the price seems expensive at your place also.
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
7 Nov 17
@youless Basically you don't like to add tomatoes in your dishes. Apparently, you use some substitutes of tomatoes in your dishes to give them better taste.
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@youless (112123)
• Guangzhou, China
7 Nov 17
@dpk262006 We do have dishes with tomatoes but this is not my favorite way to have tomatoes.
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
7 Nov 17
It is interesting to hear that tomatoes are not expensive over there and sometimes you don't even need to buy them because you grow them in your own garden.
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
7 Nov 17
What is the current price over there, about it you are not sure?
It seems that you do not use tomatoes in every dish but you use it in some of the dishes. Is not it?
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
8 Nov 17
@lady1993 Then who buys vegetables for you?
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@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
7 Nov 17
I don't cook, I don't go to the supermarket to buy grocery especially vegetables. So I actually don't have any idea how much tomatoes cost. I just usually give money to our helper to prepare the food and we just eat.
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
7 Nov 17
Does your helper use tomatoes in your dishes? You could ask your helper what is price of tomatoes per Kg in your local market and let us know.
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
8 Nov 17
@toniganzon Fine enough, if you do not want to inquire further.
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
7 Nov 17
@dpk262006 I just don't see the point in asking her. We seldom use tomatoes and I don't know when she does.
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@averygirl72 (37726)
• Philippines
15 Nov 17
We have many dishes with sauce that uses tomato. Maybe you can try tomato paste if fresh tomatoes are expensive
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
10 Nov 17
I USD = Rs.65/-. The tomatoes are being sold here around $1.22 here.
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
10 Nov 17
@MALUSE I understand your point. Thanks for your advice.
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
10 Nov 17
@dpk262006 You should include this info in the post proper. Other members have the same question as I have. Not everybody ploughs through a whole comment thread to get the necessary info to understand a post.
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@rubyriaz007 (4188)
• India
7 Nov 17
Tomatoes are very important in our food, we put tomatoes in most of the curries veg and non-veg.We make rasam at home, in that we add tomatoes, also we add in vegetables and in salads.We make tomato curry also to have with chapatis.In my house, we use tomatoes daily.
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
8 Nov 17
This is what I have mentioned that many traditional Indian dishes are incomplete without tomatoes. What is the price of tomatoes at your place, at present?
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
8 Nov 17
@rubyriaz007 It is same price, as it is here at present.
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@Loti24 (152)
•
21 May 21
Sorry to hear about the floods. In my country tomatoes are pricey (import) except for the summer months. And yes, they are quite important in our Mediterranean cusine. Even if not as a cooking ingredient we eat tomato salads with peppers, onion, or cheese, actually every possible combination on summer days.
Wish you a great day!
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@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
23 May 21
It is four years old discussions. There are no floods now a days, only Covid.
I understand that tomatoes are expensive at your place, however you use it in vegetable dishes, salads.
Have a nice day.
I understand that tomatoes are expensive at your place, however you use it in vegetable dishes, salads.
Have a nice day.1 person likes this
