Tomato Chutney/Pickle

This is a season of pickles back in India. Varieties of yummy pickles :)


Today I am using a star ingredient Tomato, which we most commonly use as a veggie, but is actually a fruit. Though it is widely used in pretty much every cuisine, it is native to South America and was not available in the rest of the countries till like 400-500 years ago. Isn't it amazing that most of our recipes these day (in every part of the world) are not complete without this fruit? Do you know that India is the 4th top producers of this yummy fruit.


Anyways, surprising facts. Today, I am going to share Tomato Pickle/Chutney recipe taught by me by my mom. It is a chutney of tomato but is also a pickle as we can store it for many many months and simple enjoy like any other pickle. I simply love it and it is so versatile that it can be eaten with roti/rice/dosa/idli or even as a sandwich spreadh or I love to make bread toast and just spread it :)


Usually, at home, when we make it, it is made in bulk, meaning about 10-20 kgs at one time. As with the below quantity, I only got like 2 cups final product, so may be hardly 2 months worth :)


Tomato Chutney/Pickle

Ingredients
Tomatoes - 8 big ones (about 9-10 cups)
Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsps
Fenugreek Powder - 2 tsps (better make them fresh at home)
Turmeric Powder - 2 tsps
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsps
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 3 tbsps
Preparation

• Wash and wipe tomatoes well (no water should be left on tomatoes as we are making pickles).
• Cut tomatoes in small chunks.
• Take 2 tbsps oil in a heavy bottomed vessel and add mustard seeds to splutter.
• Add chopped tomatoes, salt and turmeric. 
• Mix well, cover and simmer (literally on your low settings of stove) for 4-5 hours.
• Keep stirring every 15-20 min.
• At the end of the process, you should be left with about 2-3 cups of tomato pulp.
• Take it off gas
• Now, take a small pan for preparing the tempering.
• Add the rest 1 tbsp oil, once it is hot, add red chilli and fenugreek powder. 
• Once it starts smoking, mix it in the tomato pulp well.
• Now, remove the tomato pickle in a glass jar (glass is always better for pickles).

Serving
As mentioned above, this can be served practically with anything you are eating. My personal favorite is eating it with hot steamed rice :)


There is an alternate way of making this, is to cook partially on stove and then after about 2 hours of cooking on gas stove, sun-drying it for next 2-3 days. Both have slightly different taste. Feel free to try it out.


That's all for now. Take care till next post.