Tomato Thokku

Other names - Thakkali Thokku / Thakkali Oorugai / Tomato Pickle

Prep Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 45 to 50 min
Shelf Life: For about a month or two when refrigerated.

Ingredients

1. Tomatoes (Bangalore Thakkali) - 24 medium sized
2. Tamarind extract (neither thick nor too thin) - 1/2 cup
3. Red chilly powder - 4 tbsp
4. Thick jaggery extract - 2 tsp
5. Sesame oil - 1/2 cup
6. Salt - 3.25 tbsp

For seasoning

1. Sesame oil - 1/4 cup
2. Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
3. Broken dry red chillies - 6
4. Fenugreek seeds (pounded) - 1.5 tsp
5. Fresh curry leaves - few
6. Garlic (crushed) - 20

Method

1. Wash all tomatoes one by one in water; pat dry & set aside.
2. Cut each tomatoes in to half, then in to four & then in to eight pieces.
3. Heat half cup of sesame oil in a heavy bottomed wok, add the tomato pieces & cook on high flame for about 5 min.
4. Reduce flame to medium; cook for about 25 min, stirring contents at regular intervals to avoid sticking to the wok.
5. Now add tamarind extract, red chilly powder, salt, jaggery extract; cook for another 20 min until oil separates.
6. Stir contents well towards the end of the process so that the oil separates completely; allow to cool.
7. Adjust ingredients according to taste.
8. Heat quarter cup of oil in another pan, add mustard seeds & let it splutter.
9. Add broken dry red chillies, curry leaves & saute for few sec.
10. Now add crushed garlic, pounded fenugreek seeds; saute for a min on low flame.
11. Set aside the seasoning for about 15 to cool completely.
12. Add the seasoning to the cooled tomato mixture & combine well.
13. Set aside the tomato thokku for half an hour.
14. Store in a dry, air tight plastic container / Tupperware / glass bottle & refrigerate for further use.

NOTE

• Adjust salt, red chilly powder, tamarind extract & jaggery according to taste.
• Can also grind the cooled tomato mixture (before adding the seasoning) to a smooth paste if preferred.
• Use Naattu Thakkali for that tongue tickling tangy thokku.
• Can reduce the amount of tamarind extract when using Naattu thakkali for the recipe.
• Pound raw fenugreek seeds using a Pestle & Mortar.