Summers mean only one thing in our part of the world – the sun is shining bright and it is tiringly hot. The days seem really long with the scorching heat and the only way to get through the day is by drinking a lot of fluid – juices, milkshakes and of course water. You definitely cant say no to homemade ice creams and lollies too. Although it is unbearably hot, we still look forward to it as there are a lot of summer goodies. Apart from the cool drinks and frozen treats, summers call for homemade pickles and fryums. I am going to share three pickle recipes that we made at home this summer so far and the first one is this really simple yet flavorful Tomato Avakaya recipe.
For the uninitiated, Avakaya is Andhra style Mango pickle made with ground mustard seeds. In Andhra, March-April-May is typically the pickle season and a lot of households innovate with the use of different vegetables apart from the regular mangoes. My mom has always made Tomato Avakaya, an instant version of Tomato pickle that uses very similar ingredients to the regular Avakaya. It is quick and easy to make, stores well in the fridge for over 2-3 weeks and is definitely not season dependent. We devour it with Pappu Annam or even as side dish for idli, dosa or chapati. Check out the Instant Tomato Pickle for a different version of Andhra style pickle 🙂
How to make Tomato Avakaya | Andhra Tomato Pickle
📖 Recipe
Detailed recipe for making Tomato Avakaya | Andhra Tomato Pickle
Recipe Notes
It is not mandatory to grind the mixture but it gives a smooth texture if ground. Just pulse it a few times so that the mixture doesn’t get heated up while grinding. You can also use ¼ to ½ teaspoon of Fenugreek powder if you like the bitterness. I made the tamarind pulp by boiling tamarind in water, extracting only the pulp. Don’t add a lot of water as the pulp will turn out thin. For better pickle taste, gingelly oil or sesame oil is recommended but in case it is not available, regular cooking oil can be used.
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂
