Tomato Pickle

Mom is an expert when it comes to preparing pickles at home. She always had her ways to create and make things easy...normally when ever preparing tomato pickle its a task on its own chopping sun-drying and so on we absolutely need to defecate time and efforts for this pickle cutting short half the time and preparing this pickle in just fraction of time is something superb...

Ingredients:

2 Kilo Tomatoes  

6 Tbsp Chilly Powder

1 Tbsp Turmeric Powder 

1 Cup Vegetable Oil

1 Medium Lime Size Tamarind 

3 Tbsp Mustard Seeds

1/2 Tsp Fenugreek Seeds 

1/4 Tsp Asafoetida

2 Tbsp Salt

1/4 Tsp Citric acid (if needed)

1/4 Cup Vinegar (if needed)

Lets Prepare:

1. Try to use super ripe tomatoes for this recipe blanch & deseed the tomato if possible how ever i was unable to either blanch or deseed. chop into small cubes.
2. Heat a heavy bottom pot or try and use a nonstick heavy bottom pot tip in the tomato cover and allow the tomato to wilt down a bit for 10 mins try to keep stirring constantly 
3. In a small pot add 1/2 cup of water bring to a boil and add the tamarind and cook till tamarind goes into a mush for 15 mins remove from flame and allow to cool before extracting pulp. once cooled squeeze the tamarind to extract pulp strain in a tea strainer and reserve. you can also use 2 tbsp of ready to use tamarind pulp which is available in the market.
4. Heat a fry pan and toast the 1tbsp of mustard seeds try to toast the seeds well on low flame once the mustard seeds stops popping reserve in a plate and allow to cool in the same fry pan add the fenugreek seeds fry well and reserve in the same plate and allow to cool before preparing a powder. in a coffee blender add the toasted seeds and prepare a powder and set aside.
5. Constantly keep stirring the tomatoes the moisture from the tomato should completely evaporate in 1 hour time now add the tamarind pulp, chilly powder & turmeric powder mix well and allow to cook till everything has gone dry in 1 1/2 hour.
6. Heat a fry pan add oil and heat well add the 2 tbsp of mustard seeds and 1/4 tsp of asafoetida and fry well tip the hot oil mixture in the tomato mix well and fry the tomato ensure the moisture has completely evaporated from the tomato while frying. add 1tbsp mustard and fenugreek powder mix well and fry for another 10 more mins till the oil surfaces on the top switch off the stove allow the pickle to cool completely before you bottle. serve the super duper pickle with curd rice, lime rice or sambar rice...Enjoy...:) 

Suggestions:

• While tempering for pickle you can fry garlic and curry leafs and add to the pickle.
• citric acid and vinegar can be used to preserve the pickle. add vinegar or citric acid once the pickle has cooled completely.
• Try to blanch peel and deseed the tomato before you prepare this recipe.

I've also done a video demo watch and enjoy...