Ingredients
For the chutney
• 1 kg ripe roma tomatoes
• 1 medium red onion
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 6 dried whole chillies
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 10 fresh curry leaves
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)
• Small knob ginger, peeled and grated
For the scallops
• 12-16 scallops
• ½ tsp turmeric
• Small knob ginger, peeled and grated
For the leaf-infused olive oil
• 15 curry leaves
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
Preparation
For the leaf-infused olive oil
• Fry curry leaves in sunflower oil for 30-40 seconds. Drain on kitchen paper and let dry. Crush and mix with the olive oil. The oil will keep for two weeks.
For the chutney
• Score the bottoms of tomatoes and blanch in boiling water. Peel, de-seed and coarsely chop. Peel and dice red onion.
• Heat sunflower oil and add chillies. When the tips of the chillies turn black add the mustard seeds. When they crack or pop, add cumin and chopped onions. Sweat the onions.
• Add chilli powder, ginger, curry leaves and tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes. If the tomatoes are not sweet enough, add one teaspoon of sugar.
For the scallops
• Marinate the scallops with half a teaspoon of turmeric and ginger for 20 minutes. Sear in a hot pan. When adequately coloured on one side, quickly turn over.
• Serve scallops on a bed of tomato chutney. Drizzle with curry leaf-infused olive oil.
Images Courtesy of Chef Kumar Mahadevan
