This is easy and the BEST Andhra style tomato pickle recipe. It is tangy, spicy, garlicky and goes well with idli, dosa, pongal, curd rice, plain rice or roti, paratha.
50gramsGarlic(~ ⅓ cup cloves or 7-8 fat cloves of garlic)
50gramsRed chili powder(½ cup)
50gramsSalt(2 ½ tablespoons)
For Tempering:
1cupSesame oilGingelly oil
1teaspoonMustard seeds
3-4clovesGarlic
6Dried red chilies
20Curry leaves
½teaspoonHing (Asafoetida)
Instructions
Take chopped tomatoes and seedless tamarind in a large pan. Turn the heat on medium, cover it and cook until tomatoes are soft, mushy and most of the moisture is evaporated. The mixture should look like a thick paste. Let the cooked mixture cool down slightly.
While tomatoes are cooking, let’s make mustard powder and methi powder. For that, take mustard seeds in a small pan and dry roast them on medium-low heat until they start to splutter. Also, you’ll notice that mustard seeds get lighter in color. Remove it to a bowl and keep it aside.
In the same pan, dry roast the methi seeds until they turn light brown in color. Remove it to the same bowl and let it cool down completely.
Grind into a fine powder using a spice/coffee grinder and keep it aside.
Now tomato mixture is cooled slightly, transfer the cooked tomato-tamarind mixture into the grinder. Add salt, red chili powder and garlic cloves.
Make a smooth paste without adding any water. If needed scrap the sides and grind again.
To make a tempering, heat oil in a large pan. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
Add garlic cloves and saute for a minute.
Add dried red chilies and curry leaves, and immediately cover the pan with a lid to avoid oil spluttering mess because of curry leaves. Fry until curry leaves are fried well.
Add hing.
Immediately add prepared tomato paste and mix well.
Add prepared mustard and fenugreek powder. Mix and cook for 4-5 minutes with stirring occasionally or until oil starts to ooze out.
Let the pickle cool down completely then store it in a glass jar.
Notes
If your tamarind is not seedless then soak it in warm water, squeeze out all the pulp, strain the pulp and add it while the tomatoes are halfway cooked. Because I used seedless tamarind, I cooked and grind along with tomatoes.
Use ripe tomatoes (preferably roma, plum tomatoes).
Storage & Shelf Life:
Tomato pickle stays good in the refrigerator for 5-6 months if followed below tips.
Store it in a clean, dry (moisture-free), air-tight glass jar or container. A day before, wash the jar well and let it dry out completely. You can keep it under the sun for an hour.
Always use a clean, dry spoon to take the pickle.
As soon as you take out the portion needed, immediately close the jar with a lid and put it back into the refrigerator.