When entertaining at home I love a table groaning with food. No table of mine is complete without a variety of vegetarian side dishes to compliment the meaty mains. With many of our friends and family turning “preferably vegetarian”,  these sides have to be as delectable as their non-vegetarian counterparts. Happily, these spicy millet stuffed tomatoes are just that, so much so that they are now an integral part of my table… and not just as an accompaniment anymore, but as the dish of the day!

Spicy Millet Stuffed Tomatoes

I do try to use millet in my everyday meals ( thanks for the inspiration Sangeeta Khanna ) substituting it for rice, pasta, adding it to my salads, soups, breads, muffins…I’m exploring and attempting new recipes using this grain. This dish was a result of one of these attempts and a very successful one.  I’ve made it at least once a week for just the family in the last month.  My father, after eating paneer and potato stuffed tomatoes with a rich tomato gravy all his life, is a convert.  SCORE!!

Here I used a millet new to me, Kodo millet. Its grains are larger and sturdier than Foxtail or Finger millet grains.  Even after the additional pan cooking , they held their shape and stayed light and fluffy. They soaked in all the olive oil, onion, garlic flavors so well that now I make extra millet mixture and eat it as a salad, warm or cold!

Spicy Millet Stuffed Tomatoes

Fresh red chilies in the stuffing made it spicy, but Sambal Olek sauce gave it a punch like no other!! This thick, chunky fiery sauce is a staple in Indonesian and Malaysian cuisine. In this recipe, it really worked magic by adding enough heat without that sugary, vinegar flavor.

Topping the stuffed tomato gives it that lovely little crunch. I used parmesan cheese on some,  panko breadcrumbs mixed with olive oil on some and a dab of dairy-free pesto and sunflowers seeds on the others…latter if you want to go the vegan way.

Spicy Millet Stuffed Tomatoes

Spicy Millet Stuffed Tomatoes

I’d love to hear from you! Please tag me on Instagram @tashasartisanfoods, using the hashtag #tashasartisanfoods. You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST for more fabulous recipes! Do subscribe to Tasha’s Artisan Foods so you’ll never miss a recipe!

Print Recipe

Spicy Millet Stuffed Tomatoes

Servings: 10
Author: Natasha Minocha

Ingredients

  • 150 gms Kodo millet
  • 1 Onion finely diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 10 Olives finely diced
  • 1 tbsp Sambal Olek
  • 1 Lemon
  • 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil plus extra for drizzling on top
  • Parsely, Mint, Basil handful
  • 12 Tomatoes small, even sized
  • Grated parmesan, breadcrumbs, panko, seeds, pesto, toasted finely chopped nuts for the toppingv

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180 C.
  • Prepare tomatoes: Thinly slice the bottom of each tomato so they can stand without toppling over. Then cut the tops off the tomatoes and scoop out tomato juices, seeds and flesh (save for another use). Be careful not to pierce the bottom of the tomatoes. Turn them upside down on a plate to drain.
  • Prepare filling: Rinse and cook the millet in plenty of lightly salted water. Once its ready, in about 10-12 minutes, drain it and rinse it well with cold water. Drain again and set aside.
  • Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes, till slightly softened. Add the drained millet, stir in the olives, red chilli, sambal olek and salt & pepper to taste. Let it all cook for another 5 minutes. Take it off the heat. Mix in the lemon juice, red wine vinegar and the chopped herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  • Spoon the millet mixture into the hollowed tomatoes, filling them to the brim. Top with the topping of your choice. Drizzle over a little olive oil and bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Serve warm.