Tomato Pickle

One of my favourite pickles out of those my Mom prepares. Good combination with Chappatis, Bread, Rice and ya Puri. I got to try it out now and you know what it tastes yummy. Here we go with the recipe.

Tomato Pickle

Ingredients :

• 1.5 kgs ripe tomatoes (you could use tinned tomatoes)
• 2 tbl spoon chili powder
• 4 small sized garlic bulbs
• 1 tea spn tamarind extract
• 1 tea spn mustard seeds
• 1 tea spn sesame seeds
• 1/2 tea spn fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 tea spn turmeric powder
• 1/2 tea spn asafoetida powder
• 3 tbl spoon oil
• salt to taste

Method of preparation :  

• Heat 1 tbl spoon oil and fry mustard, sesame and fenugreek seeds and see that it doesn’t burn. 
• Get this to room temperature now add chili powder, turmeric, asafoetida and grind it to fine powder.
• Cut garlic into two slices each, now heat 1 tbl spoon oil and add garlic, fry for 3  4 min.
• In a big thick bottomed vessel / non sick vessel add 1 tbl spoon oil, chopped tomatoes / tinned tomatoes and salt. 
• Cook this on high heat till all the tomatoes look mashed stirring it once in 10 min.
• Add tamarind extract, cook it for 10 min now add the base powder and fried garlic, cook for 10 more min. 
• The tomatoes tend to splash up while boiling so keep away from the vessel while mixing. The mixture would be light maroon in color.
• Cool this to room temperature and store it in air tight container. Keep it refrigerated and would be good to use for 2-3 months. I put it into many small bottels and put them in fridge.

Bottled Tomato Pickle

Note : The shelf life is more if you fry it for longer time.  Do not use wet spoon to serve these as it would spoil the pickle
Garlic is optional - Garlic actually tastes great with the pickle