BM #115 : Week 2, Day 2
Theme : Accompaniments

I wasn’t planning to post another recipe for thokku today. But this recipe was there in my drafts and its perfect for this week’s theme. So I decided to go ahead with this recipe. I always associate Tomato thokku with my mother in laws long distance travels. I remember her cooking a big batch of this and packing it along with rotis and some curd rice. She would always make a little extra to give us.

Tomato thokku pairs well with all kind of foods we eat. It serves not just as a pickle for curd rice, it goes well with chapati too like I mentioned earlier. It is a great side dish for dosa or idli too. So there is a little competition from my husband for this, but I am the pickle crazy one in my family and I usually finish it way ahead than it’s supposed to be finished.

Indian pickles are usually spicy and my son has stayed away from these until recently. But now, he has started taking a little bit of pickle with curd rice. Earlier he would eat curd rice with only potato fry. Thokku is a really good way to introduce him to pickles.

Read on for the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 large tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• a good pinch of hing/ asafoetida
• 1-2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon jaggery/brown sugar, optional

Method:

1. Wash and pat the tomatoes dry. Chop it finely into small pieces.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan. Add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add the hing.
3. Add the tomatoes, mix well. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, jaggery and salt. Keep stirring in between and let it cook on medium heat. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Once it starts to boil, lower the heat a little and let it cook until the liquid evaporates and the oil starts to float on top. It will splutter so be careful.
4. Add the fenugreek powder and cook for a few more minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool down. Store in an airtight jar and refrigerate it.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this Week