Tomato Saar (Tomato curry with coconut)

Ingredients:

For oil tempering - peanut oil, black mustard seeds, cumin seeds(1/4tsp), hing powder.
Or use ghee tempering - ghee, cumin seeds, hing powder
Tomatoes - 4 medium or 6 Roma
Green chilies - cut into 1/2" pieces
Curry leaves - 8-10
Chili powder - 1/4 tsp (or to your taste)
Cinnamon stick - flat kind - 2-3 small pieces (about 1" each)
Black peppercorn - 7-8 (powder them)
Sugar - 1-2 tsp (to taste)
Salt to taste.
Chopped cilantro leaves - 2-3 Tbs
Freshly grated coconut - 4-5 Tbsp

Recipe:

Remove stems and cut tomatoes in big pieces. Add them to a tall pan and add 1 cup water. Cover and let the tomatoes cook well. Cool a bit and puree them with a hand grinder (food mill) to remove skins  and seeds.
Heat pan and add 2 tsp peanut oil.
Prepare oil tempering (or ghee tempering) and add green chilies, cinnamon and black pepper.
(For a variation you can add curry leaves after chillies) - optional
Add tomato puree.
Add water to desired thickness of curry.
Add salt and sugar to taste (depends on how tart tomatoes are).
Remember, Maharashtrian food is well balanced with salt, sugar, and tartness.
Let the tomato puree come to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add freshly chopped cilantro and grated coconut.
I use frozen unsweetened coconut when in hurry.
Serve as a side dish with Indian bread, or rice.

Notes:

1) You can use canned whole tomatoes (taste will be a little different).
2) You can add canned coconut milk (1/4 cup) when curry is simmering...do not boil it or curry will curdle/ break.
3) You can add 1 small onion to tomatoes while cooking them.