Quick Tomato Pickle

I got an extra kilo of tomatoes on my first online grocery order. They were slightly on the riper side than what I would normally have bought.  I felt I had to use them at the earliest.   Looking through the recipes that  had been bookmarked, I came across this one from Priya .

The recipe is simple. Few ingredients. Simple procedure.  Tastes good from day one, but even better, I felt, after a couple of days. It will last for a month if stored in the refrigerator.

Ingredients: - For 200 gms of pickle

Tomato - 1/2 kg - chop and keep
Tamarind *- one lemon sized ball - I used a tbsp of tamarind paste
Red chili powder - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil - 2 tbsp
Garlic pods - few ( optional)

Powder -
Dry roast and grind to a fine powder 1 tbsp of mustard and 1/2 tbsp of fenugreek seeds.  (You don't need to use all of it.  Make it in slighly large quantities if you find it easy to grind larger quantities and store in a bottle.)  Make sure you do not burn the fenugreek seeds, for you will get that extra bitterness that is totally undersirable.

Now proceed -

Heat a deep pan, put in the chopped tomatoes and cover and allow it to cook in its juices for about 20 minutes.  You can periodically stir and mash till it turns into a nice thickish pulpy mass

(* If you use tamarind, use 1/2 cup of hot water to extract the pulp - cool, strain and keep aside)

Now add the tamarind extract/paste and simmer till further thickened

Add the red chili powder, the freshly ground mustard-fenugreek powder and salt. You may not need all of it. Continue to simmer

Take a seasoning pan - add oil, mustard, allow it to splutter, then the asafoetida, and the garlic.  Remove from heat and add it to the tomato mixture.  Mix well.

Cook for another 5 minutes.  Switch off heat.  Allow to cool completely and bottle.  Store in the refrigerator.

If you can tolerate the spice, add the chilie powder rather generously.

Enjoy with rice, roti or dosa.  The choice is yours .....