Brown the vegetables lightly, 5 to 7 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to blend.

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At a tomato paste factory supported by US aid agency USAID in Balkh she spoke Shakira, a woman worker grateful for her job and with growing confidence in the security situation.

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At popular Quince, located in a loft-like see-and-be-seen space in Sukhumvit, Australian chef Jess Barnes prepares international dishes with fresh local ingredients such as albondigas (lamb meatballs) with cumin, tomato and pickled chilli, or pan seared mackerel with hummus and lemon paste, paired with an excellent selection of wines.

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Whether it is avarai uttakka - local beans cooked with potato, tomato, onions, garlic and tempered with mustard seeds, or sandagai - roasted tomato sauteed with small onion, garlic and coconut ground to a fine paste - the "masala made carefully after dry-roasting 17 spices and not bought off the shops" is the key, Indira says.

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