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Tomato pickle
Some of you may start wondering what happened to me suddenly to start posting a recipe every day. Here is the answer. We are planning to go to India this month. Before that, I want to post more so that I can convert most of my drafts into posts. I am a cooking freak and the pace at which I post never catches up with the pace I cook. Sometimes it so happens that, I even forget the dish I cooked few days ago and keep wondering what is the dish in a particular picture (I can never type in the recipe soon after I cook it, as I get very tired by the time I finish cooking, so no, that advise will not work in my case). So please bear with me for an overdose in next few days.
Now coming back to today’s recipe. I had never heard of tomato pickle till I went to Belgaum to do my bachelors. There, we had a room mate called Swati - a very sweet girl from Andhra. She used to bring big batches of tomato pickles every time she went home. Though her pickle had more oil than what I prefered, I absolutely loved it. I didn’t know abc of cooking then and now that I think back, I don’t remember how that pickle tasted. But I can clearly remember - I absolutely loved it.
So last month when we went to Sunilanna’s home for a party, he served us a ready made tomato pickle. My love for this pickle re-surfaced and I had to prepare it myself if I wanted a good night’s sleep. So I checked the ingredient list on the bottle and recreated the recipe. I was not very sure that it would work out. But considering the feedback I have got from many people for this pickle, I think it was a success. As for me, I simply love it.
I also found out that, the original Andhra version of this pickle has some kind of seasoning - most of the times garlic seasoning. I didn’t include it in my pickle. I love the way it is, as I never liked onion or garlic in pickles(just an acquired taste). But if you like, you can include it. Addition of sesame seeds gave it a very nice aroma.
Ingredients:
2 kgs firm, ripe tomatoes
50gms chili powder
1 tea spn mustard seeds
1 tea spn sesame seeds
1/2 tea spn turmeric powder
1/2 tea spn fenugreek seeds
1/2 tea spn asafoetida powder
1 tea spn tamarind extract
1-2 tea spns oil
50 - 100 gms salt
Method:
Heat oil and fry mustard seeds, sesame seeds, fenugreek seeds taking care not to burn.
Switch off heat and add asafoetida, chili powder and turmeric (stand away from the pan, the strong chili aroma might burn your nose).
Cool to room temperature and powder them together.
In a big thick bottomed or non stick pan, heat 1 tea spn oil. Add all chopped tomatoes and salt.
Cook on a high heat, mixing once in a while to avoid sticking. When all the tomatoes look mashed down, add tamarind. Cook for another 5-10mins.
Add the ground powders. Mix well. Let it cook for another 10mins.
Cool to room temperature and then store in air tight container.
It can be consumed immediately, but it tastes great after 2-3 days. Keep it refrigerated. Remains good for 3-4months.
PS: I usually make my pickles a bit more salty as salt acts as a preservative. But my advise would be to start with 50gms of salt and check if that works out for you. It also depends on the kind of salt you are using. Usually after 2-3 days when the salt seeps in, the actual flavors of pickle can be tasted.
Yeh Dil Maange more… As you know I left my stock back at Shubha’s place…
March 5th, 2008 at 6:13 pmLove tomato pickle!!
March 5th, 2008 at 7:03 pmTomato pickle looks simply superb. Nice instructions. Love the pics.
March 5th, 2008 at 8:09 pmYummy pickle, Shilpa! And any amount of overdose of this blog is always welcome
March 5th, 2008 at 8:22 pmLooks great
March 5th, 2008 at 8:28 pmAhhh, I love this..My MIL makes this one…Is it MTR one tht u tasted, the bottle one Shilpa ?? Have u tried applying it on bread sandwich ?? ..It tastes yummy..Now, my mouth is watering ;)…
Shilpa: I don’t remember Maya :(. He had two brands of tomato pickles and one I liked very much. I will check out next time I go to his home
March 5th, 2008 at 9:38 pmHi Shilpa, this tomato pickle looks delicious… I can imagine how it would be with fresh garden tomatoes! Looks like you have used very little oil as well.
March 5th, 2008 at 11:14 pmHope you have a wonderful trip to India
Shilpa, tomato pickle with minimum oil looks great! New to me! Do you Promise, that you will overdose us with posts? We readers would be thrilled!! Wish you a happy journey, enjoy your trip n come back with loads of traditional recipes!
March 6th, 2008 at 12:24 amWow this looks great….thanks for sharing. My aunt always makes this with garlic but yours seems simple ..must try it next time i get lots of tomatoes!
March 6th, 2008 at 2:46 amslurrp is the only thing i can think of rt now shilpa
lucky girl, for how many days u’ll be in India?
Shilpa: Thanks Sia. We will be there for 1 month :).
March 6th, 2008 at 4:25 amShilpa, that looks gorgeous…and I understand the bit about being a cooking freak
March 6th, 2008 at 4:37 amOh this sounds lovely. So full of flavor. Thanks for the recipe Shilpa! I plan to make this as soon as tomatoes start growing in the yard!
March 6th, 2008 at 5:48 amNice one & i know this one yum! I make it all the time…same as your recipe, but no tamarind water. It vanishes off quite fast.. goes so well with Dalithoy sheeth, Thaaka sheeth & polos!
March 6th, 2008 at 7:36 amWhile reading how you made them my mouth was wattering
March 6th, 2008 at 7:41 amHi Shilpa
I wonder why my comment on mango rice did not show up..Did you get my mail ?
Its interesting to know you were in Belgaum..I’ve lived there for 3 years..!!
Like your tomato chutney..A very different way from what I usually make..Will try this too as I like these with parathas!!
Shilpa: Thanks a lot Swati for the mail, I will mail back soon. I didn’t get any comment from you for mango rice :(.
March 6th, 2008 at 8:09 amHey…nice job figuring out a formula for this pickle! a couple years ago I made tomato pickle and the recipe I used is extremely close to yours- more mustard seeds than fenugreek- goes so well with tomatoes…(but of course I used garlic cuz I’m a garlic freak)
Tomato pickle is also good with certain western foods such as on sandwiches or mixed into “salads” with a mayonaise dressing. (It’s one of my secrets that my family can’t figure out) 
I’ll be sure to try your lower-oil version when I run out-
March 6th, 2008 at 9:00 amSlurppppppp. I feel like adding some ghee to hot rice and mixing this pickle along with it and having! Yummy. I love thos pickle. Its very similar to my mom’s recipe, except that she does not add sesame seeds.
March 6th, 2008 at 10:50 amlooks awesome!!
March 6th, 2008 at 11:42 amNo one is complaining about yr regular posts, Shilpa
March 6th, 2008 at 12:46 pmYaay! Shilpa - you are going home! Wishing you the very best and please do give my regards to your wonderful parents!.
Aiee makes a killer tomato pickle. unfortunately it is not a dish which M has taken a liking to; so that means, I only get to eat it when aiee visit or we are in mumbai
perhaps this post will entice M to give it a try?
March 6th, 2008 at 2:44 pmThanks
Shilpa: Shall I send you some? I am making a new batch this weekend again. We finished ours :D. V is a loyal fan of aayi’s appi ambli pickle, so I am the only one who eats this :).
I shall try your tomato pickle recipe,cos I love any and every kind of pickle:)
Have a good time in India Shilpa…im sure you will.
March 6th, 2008 at 3:18 pmI can see your excitment so we can get to see more recipes .
hey shilpa…
March 6th, 2008 at 4:23 pmthis receipie is so tempting…. my mouth started watering reading ur mail…
thank u very muchhhh
and have a safe journey… hope so even i could go to india this year….
u take care
byeeee
sabina
Wow, I love tomato pickle and I liked your idea of making powder of sesame, mustard and fenugreek and adding to the pickle. This I am sure will taste heavenly with rice or rotis.
Also Bon Voyage for your India trip and hope you have a wonderful trip.
March 6th, 2008 at 8:12 pmLove this pickle Shilpa. Step by step instructions is too good.
March 6th, 2008 at 9:18 pmHi Shilpa
March 6th, 2008 at 11:29 pmIt is absolutely wonderful to receive recipes from you almost
daily. You are a marvel.
Have a great trip to India.
cheers
tiba
hi..
I have tried the tomato pickle..
March 7th, 2008 at 3:58 amyummy its very good..
Shilpa - thanks for offering to send some; but please don’t - really!
our new kitchen is just done and M is antsy to try new dishes; so I am gonna get her to give this a try (I think I will just go out and buy a big bag of tomatoes)
Hmmm, fresh appi ambli pickle? heh, you gotta take some pics of her preparing that;
… and I will get to try it when I visit Kumta again in July! Yaaay!
March 7th, 2008 at 9:52 amThanks for posting this recipe Shilpa….
March 7th, 2008 at 11:05 amEven I never even heard of this pickle before joining B Tech.. .My Telugu roommates used to bring it in big bottles every time they returned from their home town… We used to have it with rice till they vanished completely within a few days.. .
Usually avunchakal people (konkanis) wont be preparing this…
Got to give this a try this weekend…
Hi Shilpa,
March 7th, 2008 at 12:09 pmPickle looks yum go…….. I will try it soon.
Thanks.
Yeay! India
Have fun there!!
This looks absolutely enticing
Please tell me if I wanted to add garlic at which stage and how I should add it?
Thanks for this absolutely great yummy pickle. I love any kind of pickle and can survive on merely achaar and roti
-Rutu
Shilpa: Rutu, it is added as seasoning. Once the pickle is done, heat up some oil, fry some garlic in it and add to the pickle.
March 8th, 2008 at 12:20 amWhat a brilliant color. I am so in love with your pickle. Bookmarked. I wonder, is it the turmeric that makes it so bright orange or a special camera effect ?
Shilpa: No Zlamushka, I didn’t mess with camera this time :D. May be the color of tomatoes was like that ;). Let me know if you try it.
March 9th, 2008 at 1:52 amStill have’nt read but my mouth’s watering . Seems to be really a tasty one.
sakhee
March 15th, 2008 at 4:10 amhi,
March 20th, 2008 at 2:20 pmyummy pickle, i’ am very much fond of pickles , my sasu-ma also makes but she has’nt tried this one.oil also acts as preservative na but u are using it in a little content.
tomatoe pickle is really great, i had a nepali friend who lived here in the Philippines for more than a year to study his Doctor;s Degree, whenever we had a group study we used to stay in their house and he cooked for us common nepali foods including tomatoe pickle! My! i love it so much, it tasted really good, that i come to the point of learning how to cook it myself!
Yours is quiet more yummy, some ingredients u added is not present with his. I will surely try it at home.
keep posting ok!
have a safe trip to india and enjoy
May 9th, 2008 at 3:12 am