Tomato Pickle

Tomatoes were very cheap in the market last week and they were a plenty at my home. I wanted to put them to good use and I remembered reading this recipe year ago on Aayis recipe. I noted down the ingredients, made minor modifications and tried it over the weekend. The result was amazingly yummy tangy tomato pickle. My house smelt good while I was making it and we finished almost half of the jar in 2 days. The quantity listed below yields approximately ½ kg of the pickle. The pickle remains good for approx. a month in the fridge.

Ingredients –

1 kg ripe tomatoes chopped into fine pieces,

4 tsp oil,

5 dried red chilies,

3 tsp tamarind pulp,

2 tsp mustard seeds,

2 tsp sesame seeds,

1 tsp turmeric powder,

1 tsp fenugreek seeds,

½ tsp asafetida powder,

4 tsp red chili powder (vary as per your liking),

Salt to taste.

Method –

Heat oil in heavy bottom pan and fry the dried red chilies for ½ a minute.

Add chopped tomatoes, tamarind extract and salt to this and allow it to cook. (Keep in mind to add a little extra salt).

In a separate pan heat 1 tsp oil and crackle mustard seeds. In half a minute add sesame seeds, fenugreek seeds and asafetida. Fry for a few seconds and switch off the gas. Add turmeric and red chili powder. Mix well. Allow it to cool completely and blend to a coarse powder. Keep aside.

Keep stirring the tomatoes in between. The tomatoes should get fully cooked and mashed up.

Continue cooking till all the juices dry up and a semi solid mass has been formed and oil starts leaving. At this stage add the ground spice powder. Mix well and check for salt.

Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes and switch off the gas. Allow it to cool completely and store it in a clean glass jar under refrigeration.

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