Tomato Pickle

Tomato Pickle

Tomato pickle is a tangy and spicy pickle with various masalas blending together to release an appetizing aroma. It is an easy to prepare pickle which goes well with any meal. I personally enjoy having it with rice or South Indian breakfast items like Upma or Uttapam. It can be stored for a long duration (up to many months) and acts as a fulfilling side dish when one is out of time or energy to prepare an accompaniment with a main dish.

Ingredients :

  • Fresh, red tomatoes – 2 kgs.
  • Refined Oil – 1/2 Litre
  • Mustard seeds – 2 teaspoons
  • Turmeric powder – 2 teaspoons
  • Roasted fenugreek powder – 30 gms.
  • Roasted mustard powder – 100 gms.
  • Asafoetida(hing) – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Red chilly powder – 150 gms.
  • Citric Acid – 4 teaspoons
  • Salt – 150 gms.
  • Sodium Benzoate – 3/4 teaspoon

Preparation Time: 30 mins.

Cooking Time: 45 mins. approximately

Method

Wash the tomatoes and wipe properly. Cut them into medium sized pieces and keep aside.

Now take a large sized, heavy bottomed pan and heat oil. Once oil is hot, turn the flame to lower setting and add hing and mustard seeds.

Once mustard seeds begin to splutter, add the tomato pieces and cook on high flame. Be careful as tomatoes splutter when cooked on high flame and hence, large pan is required to make this pickle.

Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix well and continue to boil the tomatoes till they shrink to about 1/3 of its original quantity.

Now add all the other spices and mix well. Keep cooking till the oil comes up and is visible and all the water from the tomatoes has dried up.

Turn off the stove and let the tomato pickle cool a bit. Now add citric acid and sodium benzoate.

Once tomato pickle has cooled down completely, store in an airtight jar. Relish tomato pickle with any South Indian Meal.