Tomato Pickle / தக்காளி ஊறுகாய்

Tomato Pickle 

தக்காளி ஊறுகாய்

                                             

Ingredients:

Tomato ( தக்காளி) - 1 kg
Garlic ( பூண்டு) - 20 cloves
Tamarind - a small lemon size ( புளி- சிறு எலுமிச்சை அளவு)
Turmeric powder ( மஞ்சள் தூள்) - 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder ( மிளகாய் தூள்) - 3 tsp
Mustard seeds ( கடுகு) - 1 tsp
Salt to taste ( தேவையான அளவு உப்பு)
Sesame oil / Gingely oil ( நல்லெண்ணெய்) - 5tbsp

 Steps:

Wash and dry wipe the tomatoes. Cut into chunks, add the soaked tamarind and make a puree in a blender
Do in batches to avoid spilling.

While slicing, I have removed seeds from half of the tomatoes used as too many seeds not good  for various health factors.

In a heavy bottom pot, add 5 tbsp of oil. When hot let the mustard seeds crack and add in the garlic , saute till fragrant.
Pour in the tomato puree followed by turmeric powder, chili powder and salt.
Stir and allow it to boil on medium flame.

Stir now and then so that the puree does not settle at the bottom.

Cook until the oil leaves at the sides. Switch off and give a standing time and allow it to cool.
Transfer to a clean glass jar . Serve with curd rice or chapathi, or even as spread for your toast. 

My Notes:

A simple home made pickle but a favourite of many.

This is the recipe that I had learnt from my Mother in law. The original recipe calls for spreading the tomato chunks on a big plate together with tamarind pieces and salt sprinkled over it and sun dried daily for few days. This is done so that the tomato juice evaporate and the tomato pieces are well dried. Tamarind and salt are the natural preservative. This pickle stays fresh longer ( more than a month) as the water content in the tomato is almost nil  and does not require refrigeration. 

But in this modern world of flat system one could hardly find open space with direct sunlight for the tomatoes to dry. So I  have switched over to this method of skipping the step of drying under sunlight . But have to  refrigerate this pickle compulsorily  for longer shelf life.

The garlic pieces here and there adds an unique flavour to this pickle. Use the thin small type of garlic and not the big sized variety as the former is more flavourful. If not available it is ok, garlic is garlic but slice the big garlic clove lengthwise into 2 or 3 pieces so that one gets a piece in every spoon that you scoop out. ;)

Soak the tamarind with minimum water. Discard the water, remove seeds if any and blend the soft tamarind pulp with the tomatoes. If the tamarind is used without soaking, you may not be able to blend uniformly with the tomatoes. 

While deseeding, I  added the seeds directly to a sieve so that the juice can be collected. Later I discarded just the seeds and  got to drink quarter cup of fresh tomato juice :))

 There is another version of tomato pickle with pieces and not pureed tomato. Shall post it when I prepare that pickle few months later. Meanwhile my whole family is going to enjoy this homemade pickle . . Not only with their curd rice, also for chapathi, poori, toast, baguette, salad , the list goes on..😀