Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Tomato thokku



One vendor in the greens market here makes me wonder if she keeps the weighing scale for just having one.

She would weigh a kilo of tomato and load my bag. Later at home I would weigh the same and the ointer in my scale will wildly ride well over a kilo. So I end up making tomato soup and juice often. Making pickles and thokkus with tomato are a good idea if we are able to consume them. My husband does not take any pickle. I try not to keep left overs and end up eating my curd rice with the vegetable or the sambhar. So pickles, if made live in the bottles I have stored them for a long time in my home.

But sometimes the urge to make a thokku or pulikkachchal with tomatoes gets me and I make them too. Sometime ago I bought tomatoes just for making the spicy tomato jam which I tried with the recipe from Aparna. I used part of them in the jam and the rest I made the thokku. We kept it for over a week or so and had it with chappathis, dosais and idlis. I have mixed it in rice and relished the same.
It is a common recipe that many of us keep cooking from time to time. But it is indeed one simply delicious thokku.

Ingredients:

12 medium tomatoes (700 grams or little more)
1 small lemon size tamarind, soaked in little warm water.
12-15 dry red chillis (adjust to taste and spice level of chillis). Soak along with tamarind.
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds lightly roasted and powdered
2 teaspoons mustard seeds roasted and powdered
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 big ladle full (about 1/3 rd of a cup) Gingelly oil

Tempering:
1 tablespoon oil (from the above)
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons, channa dhal
2 teaspoons urad dhal
about five full sprigs of curry leaves



Chop tomatoes and grind with the soaked tamarind, chilli mix to a semi thick pulp.
Mix the salt.
Heat oil for tempering in a heavy pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add the channa dhal and a few seconds later the urad dhal. Add the curry leaves and pour the pulp in the pan.Add the turmeric powder and asafoetida powder.
On medium heat allow the pulp to reduce and thicken. Add the oil in instalments while stirring in order that the cooking mass does not scorch.
Cook well until raw taste subsides and the oil surfaces above the mass. Add the fenugreek powder and the mustard powder. Mix well and switch off the fire.
Allow to cool and store in bottles.
This thokku stays well for about six weeks provided it is stored well and handled carefully.

26 comments:

  1. This sure is super hit with chutney

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  2. OMG Lata, am simply drooling, temting me....my MIL makes these when ever we travel.....simply love this with anything .....or just love to lick it....hmmm yumm yumm yummm

    Lavanya

    www.lavsblog.com

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  3. We too love this thokku and a handy one and goes well with everything. Tempting me to grasp this and immediately rushing to the kitchen to eat it with rice which I did yesterday for my daughter in bangalore.

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  4. Lata aunty , yesterday i was thinking abt the masala tomato pickle which u posted earlier still it is in my to do list. Just I was thinking yesterday to do that this week , thats a coince that u posted tomato thokku today but this is actually how we make too. SO I am going to make that masala one and let u know.

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  5. And one more thing , do u have search box in ur space.. just wanted to see that pickle recipe again.

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  6. Love the Thokku Lata Ji...Reminds me of my granny who used to make this so often..

    Gayathri
    http://ensamayalarangam.blogspot.com

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  7. I am drooling looking at the thokku in the picture.If I make tomato thokku, its for thair sadam, dosa, upma etc.Its a hot favourite in our home.

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  8. With curd rice, tomato thokku goes awesome..makes me drool..

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  9. tempting me to try....looks sooo good and yummy!!

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  10. I don't eat pickles too but Thakkali Thokku is my favorite. My atthai makes this the same way but she also adds some peanuts to it while cooking. I love that and always make mine with peanuts too. Made with the correct salt and karam, idha ukkandhu naan spoon spoona saapidiven! Looks awesome!

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  11. I love thakkali thokku with everything and anything...I love it most with parathas and also with rasam sadam adn thayir sadam. YUM! I make it very often too!!!

    Shobha

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  12. Tomatoes are available in bounty now! I was looking for this recipe, bookmarked!

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  13. drooling...
    H will love this if I make them...

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  14. Myself and my hubby love this..I had a Tamilian family staying next door in Hyderabad who taught me how to make this :-) Next time I should try your version

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  15. OMG!!!! thokku parthavudane, naakelam ooorarthu!!!! amma used to make it often!! Pakathule thane irukel, so pls FEDEX/ARAMEX!!!!!

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  16. My fav. thokku ...feel like grabbing it ...and Thanks a lot madam for adding the Label gadget ..It is so easy to refer your old recipes...

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  17. The first pic has me drooling. I make this whenever tomatoes hit rock bottom prices and can have it with literally anything.

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  18. Tomato thokku looks mouth watering.

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  19. Hi Lata, First of all a big thank you, I am so happy to see the labels, wonderful job well done, when I start to cook I look into the veggies I have got and the next thing is the labels on the blogs :), thinking what shall I cook ? Check out the labels from the blogs and see what I can match with what I have in hand!, I am so happy, now I know where to look and what to look for. I think previously looking through your blog for recipes, I must have byhearted most of them by months :), by the by, Tomato thokku looks great! I too make something similar like this.., lovely colour,looks so yummy.

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  20. Thokku looks fantastic and tempting, and I just noticed your recipe for tomato pulikachal today...loved the idea and the recipe :-)

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  21. hi lata, have been looking for an authentic recipe for thakkali thokku, thanks for the recipe... sure to make it!

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  22. I've made this before and liked it, but I really like your recipe, so I'll have to try it!

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  23. lataji, my way of making tomato thokku involves loads of onions and garlic. yesterday made it ur way. came out really good. thank u :-)

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  24. We tried tomato thokku today and it's absolutely delicious,nowords to describe the taste of this.
    We are going to make this often for sure.
    We find this recipe very useful as it is easy to make and it has got authentic,fabulous taste.

    I have a question,do i have to keep it in refrigerator or can i keep it outside.
    Can i start using it immediately or only after 2 days like tomato pickle once the tomatoes absorb the spices.

    Thanks a ton for sharing this wonderful recipe on your blog.

    Kumar

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Hello,
Welcome and thank you for taking time to drop by.
I appreciate your valuable comments and tips.
I sincerely hope to improve with them.
Hope we shall interact often.
Thanks once again,
Lata Raja.