Tomato Thokku/Tangy Spicy Tomato Chutney

A tangy spicy chutney serves as a condiment for flat breads,dosas,idlis and even rice. Who will not prefer making such items and preserving for few days so that it could be used during emergency when you run out of veggies in your pantry or when you donot find time to prepare any side dish?
Well, I love this tomato thokku lots. I was introduced to this recently when I ate at a south Indian restaurent a dosa item. I just fell in love with this delicacy of south. It tastes heavenly and can be preserved unlike other coconut based chutneys if refrigerated and proper amount of oil if used while preparing the thokku/chutney.Here I share a simple thokku recipe.

Ingredients:
Tomatoes-5-6
Tamarind pulp-1 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida-pinch
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder-1/2 tsp
Jaggery-2'' cube
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste-1/2 tsp
Gingelly oil/Sesame seed oil-3-4 tbsp
Methi/Fenugreek seeds-1 tsp
Red chillies/Byadagi chillies-2
Water-1-2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Recipe:

1. Pressure cook the tomatoes in double boiler for 1-2 whistles.Allow it to cool down and then transfer it to a blender after removing the peel off the tomatoes.Also add tamarind pulp to it.
2. Add water to it and blend to make a puree out of it
3. In a pan add 1 tsp of oil and saute methi seeds and red chillies in it till the methi seeds turn brown in colour. Transfer to a dry bowl and let it cool.
4. In a deep bottom pan add oil and when hot, pop in mustard seeds and ginger garlic paste and saute till rawness of ginger garlic paste is gone.
5. Now add tomato puree prepared in step 2 to it and cook on a low flame.
6. Add jaggery,red chilly powder and turmeric powder to it when it reduces to 3/4 of the mixture and cook further.
7. Powder the roasted methi and red chillies together in a dry grinder and add them to the mixture getting cooked.
8. Cook further till the mixture reduces to less than half.
9. After some time though on slow flame the mixture will begin to splatter little,do not cover to avoid splattering. Let the kitchen get little messy or dirty because final product is worth it.Cook till you see oil on top and the mixture starts to leave the edges of the pan.
10. Transfer into airtight container and preserve to enjoy the delicacy as a condiment as and when required.

Note:
Do not cover and cook at any point of time while preparing thokku.
Use enough oil if you like to preserve longer. If not to preserve long, reduce the amount of oil to exact half the measure.
Always use a dry spoon to take thokku out of the airtight container.
If gingelly oil is not available, you could very well use normal refined oil too.

 



 



Enjoy the dish! n don't forget Eat and Eat little MORE.. :)