A pile of sun-dried tomato halves (ruwangan hachi) on a white background

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A single sun-dried tomato in front of a heap of dried tomatoes

Kashmiri Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Ruwangan Hachi)

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Ruwangan hachi is the Kashmiri name for sun-dried tomatoes, also spelled ruwangan hach or ruwangan hatchi. Ours are grown and sun-dried in Kashmir by local growers, the same way Kashmiri families have dried vegetables for winter for generations.

What is hokh syun?

Hokh syun means dried vegetables in Kashmiri. In late summer, when tomatoes, aubergines, gourds and turnips are plentiful, they are sliced and laid out in the sun until fully dry, then stored for the winter months when fresh vegetables were scarce. Ruwangan hachi is one of the best loved: drying concentrates the tomato into a deep, tangy, slightly sweet flavour that fresh tomatoes do not have.

How to use ruwangan hachi

Rinse, then soak in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes until soft
Keep the soaking water: it carries the flavour into the gravy
Cook with eggs, potatoes, aubergine or paneer in a Kashmiri-style masala
Add to dals, rajma, chutneys, pulao and soups
Use like Italian sun-dried tomatoes in pasta, salads and sandwiches

Kashmiri eggs with ruwangan hachi

A classic Kashmiri winter dish: hard-boiled eggs fried golden, then simmered with dried tomatoes and warm spices. Serves 2 to 3.

You will need

4 eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
A handful (about 20 g) of ruwangan hachi, soaked for 15 minutes
2 tbsp mustard oil
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
1 tsp fennel (saunf) powder
½ tsp dry ginger (sonth) powder
¼ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste

Method

Heat the mustard oil until it smokes lightly, then let it cool for a minute.
Prick the eggs all over with a fork and fry them until golden; set them aside.
In the same oil, fry the soaked ruwangan hachi for 2 minutes.
Add the chilli, fennel, ginger, turmeric and salt with half a cup of the soaking water.
Return the eggs, cover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the gravy thickens.
Serve hot with plain rice.

How to store

Keep ruwangan hachi in an airtight jar in a cool, dry, dark place, where it keeps for several months. In hot, humid weather, keep the jar in the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ruwangan hachi in English?

Sun-dried tomatoes. Ruwangan is Kashmiri for tomato, and hachi is the word used for sun-dried vegetables, as in vangan hachi (dried aubergine).

Do I need to soak dried tomatoes before cooking?

For most dishes, yes: 15 to 20 minutes in warm water softens them. For chutneys and long-simmered gravies you can add them straight to the pot with a little extra water.

Are these the same as Italian sun-dried tomatoes?

They are made the same way, by drying ripe tomatoes in the sun, but they are sold dry rather than packed in oil, and are traditionally cooked into Kashmiri gravies. After soaking, they work just as well in pasta and salads.

Packed in Srinagar in 200 g packs and shipped across India.

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