" South Indian style tomato pickle or Chutney "

Few years back my mom and neighbouring aunty were on a spree of making a special kind of tomato pickle in spring season. You will get best red, luscious and tasty tomatoes at that time of the year. I still remember that taste as I had it with everything, whether it was with rice, parathe, roti or any other dish. It was very spicy, tangy and hot. Ok, before I drool and spoil the laptop, I must stop. Mom’s procedure was a bit lengthy; they used big, red and juicy tomatoes, sun dried them and then further processed it. But for a big lazy cat like me (remember FL, yeah! That’s me) who always wants an alternative and easy way without compromising on taste, the hunt for easy and tasty recipe is always on. This year when we shifted to Bijapur, we spent few initial days in the guest house. I got to eat everything south Indian and I believe I’ve a special south Indian connection, as I love south Indian food since childhood. But eating in guest house was sometimes pain as they put curry leaves in everything and they were so hard to chew. One day in breakfast they made tomato chutney which somehow tickled my taste bud and I remembered that spicy hot pickle. So my heart craved once again. I was desperate to find that recipe, but mom didn’t remember the process much so I tried to find it, the Google way. And here I’m with a much easier version. It doesn’t require sun drying of tomatoes and the recipe is not very complicated one. I minimally adapted it from monsoon spice.

Recipe Courtesy: Monsoon spice

Ingredients:

Tomatoes – 8 to 10 large cored and thinly sliced
Tamarind Pulp - 1 golf ball sized (Adjust as per taste)
Salt - as per taste

Green chilies – 8 to 10 (as per your tolerance level)
Sesame oil - 3 tbsp (I used mustard oil)
Red Chili Powder - as per taste
Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

For tempering:

Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds – 1 pinch
Cloves of Garlic – 10 to 15 ( Peeled)
sesame Oil (I used mustard Oil)

Method:

1. In a heavy bottomed pan heat oil and add turmeric powder and chili powder. Now add sliced tomatoes. On medium high flame cook for around 20-25 minutes, till it becomes mushy and oil starts separating at the edge.

2. Let the oil separate from them and the paste to thicken, around 40-50 minutes for the tomatoes to cook.

3. Turn off the heat and add tamarind pulp and close the lid. The tamarind will soften with the heat of cooked tomatoes. Let the cooked tomatoes cool down completely to room temperature before mixing them well.

4. Once cooled, add salt and grind the cooked tomatoes along with green chilies and garlic cloves in a blender.

5. Now in another pan, heat oil for tempering. Add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and cook then until the fenugreek seeds turn red and mustard seeds splutter. Leave it aside for 4-5 minutes to cool it.

6. Once cooled, add the tempering to the tomato paste and mix them well. Transfer the Tomato Pickle into clean, dry and sterilized airtight jar and refrigerate.

You can serve this delicious Tomato Pickle with steamed rice and dal or with hot parathas.



Enjoy!