When I spot juicy red tomatoes, what do I do with them?! Of course, I pick them up in abundance. The next thing I do is prepare this instant Andhra style Tomato Pachadi, a Tomato pickle that can be made in a jiffy. So, Amma is an expert with this recipe and the first time I tasted it, I fell in love with it. Most of the times in Bangalore, we get hybrid variant of tomatoes that are very firm. Having grown up having country tomatoes that are juicier, I jump up at the opportunity as soon as I spot them. Now, this recipe works best with juicy tomatoes that are quite tangy. This Pachadi or a pickle is unique as it has all ingredients required for an Andhra style pickle but really does resemble chutney. This goes really well with idli/dosa as a side dish and can be had as an accompaniment for rice too. This stays well in the fridge for over a week. I love adding a lot of garlic with this Tomato Pickle and if you love tanginess, this would be a sure shot winner in your kitchen.
Wash and wipe the tomatoes dry. Chop them up roughly.
In a pan, heat 1 teaspoon of gingely oil. Add chopped tomatoes and cook them for 7-10 mins covered. When the tomatoes have turned mushy, add tamarind and continue to cook for a couple more minutes. Remove from heat. Need not cook away until all juices of tomatoes have evaporated. Let the tomatoes cool down completely.
In a mixer/blender jar, add the cooked tomatoes. Add salt and red chilli powder. Blend together until smooth. Remove onto a bowl.
In a small pan, heat 2 tablespoon of gingely oil. Add mustard seeds, roughly torn red chillies and fenugreek/methi seeds. As mustard seeds splutter, add peeled garlic pods and asafoetida/hing. Cook for a minute and remove from flame. Let this tempering cool down. Add it to the blended tomatoes. Mix well.
Store in an air tight container. Enjoy as a side for rice/idli/dosa. Place it in refrigerator for using upto a week.
The tomatoes have to be juicy and ripe. I used country tomatoes as they work best for this recipe. It is important to wipe the tomatoes dry after washing. This would ensure pickle lasting longer without getting spoilt. Tomatoes need not be cooked until all juices evaporate. It is enough if the tomatoes are mushy. Don’t add water while blending the tomatoes. For authentic taste, only use gingely/sesame oil. If it is not available, any vegetable oil can be used. Adjust spices and salt as per preference. It is important to let the tomatoes cool down before pureeing. Also, the tempering has to cool down before adding to the tomato puree. The garlic pods need not be cooked completely. It is enough if they are tossed in the hot oil for a minute. As they soak with the tomatoes, the flavor gets in. Store in an air tight container and put it in fridge for longer shelf life.
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