Apart from being delicious, this is a very pretty salad that I often serve as a first course, sometimes combining it with cucumber spears. It is prettiest when made with cherry tomatoes of different sizes and colors. Placed in a single layer on a white plate, they look like jewels.
If using small cherry tomatoes, cut them in half through their “equator.” Larger ones may be quartered. If using grape tomatoes, cut them in half lengthwise.
SERVES 4
• 10 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes, preferably in different colors and sizes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive or peanut oil
• ¼ teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
• 1 dried hot red chili
• 7–8 fresh curry leaves or small basil leaves
1. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, in a single layer on a plate. You can leave spaces between them.
2. Shortly before serving them, dust the tomatoes lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Put the oil in a small frying pan and set it over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the mustard seeds. As soon as they start to pop, in a matter of seconds, add the red chili, stirring until it darkens. Quickly add the curry leaves, then lift up the pan and spoon the oil and spices over the tomatoes. Serve as soon as you can, leaving the red chili on top as a garnish, but warn people not to eat it. It will have already done its job by flavoring the oil.
