Tomato Thokku - A tangy pickle made with sun dried Tomatoes

Amma's pickles are famous and she makes a variety of these. I am not much of a pickle eater, but sometimes would relish them. Since it is healthier to have less of salt and oil intake, Appa and Amma too have drastically cut down on pickles. But since Amma loves to put these tempting delicacies, we tend to make them and share with family and friends!

Tomato Thokku is really delicious to be had with Thaiyr Sadam, Roti, Idli | Dosa. Tomato Thokku is one of the pickles I love due to its interesting taste. This along with bread is simply yum and it is very easy for me to make a quick brunch with a tasty tangy veg sandwich!

We landed up with a lot of Tomatoes, thanks to me buying some on the way from work, Amma and Appa also getting fresh ones when they went for their evening walks! So Amma decided to make good use of the Sun that has been shining really warm and bright since a couple of days and made this mouth watering Thokku!

INGREDIENTS

1 kg Tomato, quartered length-wise

100 gm Imli | Tamarind, cleaned and cut to small pieces

4 tblsp Red Chilli Powder

1 tblsp Haldi | Turmeric Powder

2 tblsp Rai | Mustard Seeds

2 tblsp Methi | Fenugreek Seeds

1/4 tsp Oil

2 Pea sized Hing | Asafoetida Compounded

3 tblsp Salt | To taste

4 tblsp Oil

METHOD

• In a large flat bottomed vessel, layer cleaned and cut imli and on top of that layer quartered tomato slices.
• Spread half quantity of both salt and haldi. Cover and keep aside overnight.

• Separate tomato slices and spread them on individual plates.
• Keep the tomato plate and the imli vessel in sun, covered with thin muslin cloth. 
• After the sun is set, remove the tomato plate and imli vessel. Both must be kept separate.
• Once the tomatoes shrivel, mix them with imli. The time taken, depends entirely on the amount of sunlight you get. For us it took 3 days, but some years even within 2 days we are able to make to make this Thokku.

• Grind to a paste the mixed tomato-imli.

• In a pan dry roast rai and methi and keep aside.
• In the same pan, add 1/4 tsp oil and roast hing till it puffs up. Transfer along with roasted rai and methi.
• Once cool, make a smooth powder of  the roasted rai-methi-hing.
• Heat oil in a pan and when it is hot, switch off the flame.

• Add red chilli powder, remaining haldi and salt, rai-methi-hing powder and hot oil to the tomato-imli paste. 
• Adjust salt, if required.
• Combine the spices and oil very well with the tomato-imli paste.
• Store in clean air tight container.

Tomato Thokku can last for a year without refrigeration. If you want the colour to be as bright as when made, you need to refrigerate, as when kept in normal room temperature, it becomes dark after few months but the taste is still amazing!

We have used:

1. Everest Tikhalal Red Chilli Powder

2. Til Sona Sesame Oil

3. Tata Salt Lite.

4. LG Hing Compounded

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About C R Meena

(c) 2014 - 2016, Meena's Taste Mantra is the result of my ardent desire to share my recipes, with all who appreciate and celebrate food. These recipes are as a result of 60 years of cooking experience, influenced by tradition and exposure to various concepts, new recipes/ingredients and a passion for cooking - adapting to healthier alternatives.