Baked tomatoes with chillies and coconut

This is from a recipe by Nigel Slater-we have a massive surplus of tomatoes at the moment and keep having to be very creative with them!  This dish smells and tastes delicious-heady and aromatic.  It does curdle a bit-but dont let that worry you.  I serve this with lentils and rice.

garlic-2 cloves
2 hot red chillies
ginger-a piece about the size of your thumb
olive oil-about 3 tbsps
chili flakes-half a teaspoon
ground coriander-1 tsp
gound turmeric-1 tspcumin seeds-half a tsp
green cardamons-6
moderately large ripe tomatoes-12
creamed coconut-50-70grms
corainder leaves-a handful

Peel and thinly slice the garlic.  Halve the chillies-deseed and then finely slice.  Peel and very finely slice it. Warm the oil in a deep frying pan, then add the garlic, chilli and ginger, letting them soften, but not colour over a moderate heat.
Stir in the chilli flakes, ground coriander, turmeric, and cumin seeds, then pop the cardamons out of their husks, crush the seeds lighty and stir them.  Once the spices have warmed through, chop 4 of the tomatoes, stir them into the spices and pour in 300ml water. Bring to the boil, then slice each of the remaining tomatoes horizontally in half and lay them cut side down in the sauce.  Leave to cook for 7-8 minutes, until they are starting to soften.  Turn each tomato over, and continue to cook for a few minutes, till they are thoroughly tender.
Add the creamed coconut in small pieces, stir with a teaspoon.  From this point on the sauce should not boil, just simmer very gently until it is thick and the tomatoes are soft.
Once the tomatoes are tender to the point of collapse, they are ready. scatter with the coriander leaves and eat with a little rice or bread to mop them up!