The tomato season is coming to an end soon and after freezing a few batches of tomatoes, I decided to make this delicious pickle with what was leftover from that batch. I used all kind of tomatoes mixed and matched for this tomato thokku recipe. We plant several varieties of tomato every summer. I freeze tomatoes and it is an excellent way of preserving them to use through the year and also the most easiest way. I have explained in detail in the post and make sure to read through it especially if you are having an excess of tomatoes. I also make several batches of marinara sauce and freeze them in portion sizes. This way I always have a batch of sauce ready to go on my pasta. I also make this delicious Andhra style tomato pickle with garlic and it has become one of our new found love. We love garlic and this is a recipe we really enjoy the flavor of it. This does not mean we don’t enjoy this traditional thakkali thokku. This tomato pickle tastes good with literally everything. We eat it with idli, dosai, roti. Add a dollop of it with some oil on warm rice. And of course the most favorite way to eat it is with curd rice.
Why make this recipe?
This tomato thokku is a great way to use excess tomatoes. Be it from your backyard or when tomatoes are in season and cheaper in stores.
It is a versatile recipe and can be served as a side with any tiffin.
Also a very simple and basic pickle recipe. If you are a beginner to pickle making, this is a great recipe to begin with.
This is also a great recipe to make with any kind of tomatoes. If you are picking a few different kinds from your garden, mix and match and use them in this thokku recipe.
Ingredients and substitutes
Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipes.
Tomatoes - use any kind of tomatoes you have in hand. I have used a mix of Roma tomatoes, cherry plum tomatoes and few unnamed ones this time.
Oil - One of the key component in the pickles and I use nalennai (gingelly oil) to make pickle. Use a little liberally to extend the shelf life of the pickle
Mustard and fenugreek powder - I used to earlier use just fenugreek powder, but roasting some mustard seeds along with methi gives the pickle a great flavor.
Red chili powder - I use a mix of kashmiri chili powder (for color) and spicy chili powder (for heat).
Turmeric powder - Gives a wonderful flavor to the pickle.
Seasoning - Mustard seeds and asafetida.
Jaggery / brown sugar - a little jaggery in pickle increases the flavor and also reduces the tartness.
Salt - one other key component in any pickle is salt. It is a preserving agent.
Step by step process
To make the mustard and fenugreek powder – Dry roast the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds until golden brown and aromatic. Cool down and grind it into powder using a spice blender.
Chop the tomatoes into large pieces. Earlier I have ground the tomatoes into a puree before making thokku. But I have found that to be very messy, as the pickle splatters a lot when cooking. So these days I use just coarsely chopped tomatoes and they cook down nicely.
In a wide pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds and asafetida. Once the seeds splutters, add the chopped tomatoes. Then add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt.
Let the tomatoes cook down in its own liquid. You will notice that the pickle liquefies as it cooks.
Stir every now and then and let the tomatoes cook and become semi solid.
Once the thakkali thokku has reduced well and becomes a thick mass, add the ground mustard and fenugreek powder along with jaggery or brown sugar. Let it cook for 5 more minutes and then take it off the flame.
Tip - Do not cook the pickle for long time after adding the mustard and fenugreek powder as it will turn bitter.
Let it cool down completely and then store the thakkali thokku in an airtight container.
Basic pickle care tips
Few things to remember when trying to increase the shelf life of pickles – always use fresh spoon to take out the pickle. Make sure the spoon is dry when you put it in.
Also make sure that your hands are dry when dealing with the pickle. The more moisture free they are kept the better they last.
Also using slightly more oil than usual will increase the shelf life.
I make several small batch and then store them airtight in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Open only one jar at a time and use it up before you use the next jar.
Also if you have more than one refrigerator like me, store the pickle in the refrigerator that is not opened frequently.
Frequently asked questions
More pickle recipes
More tomato recipes
If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter/X
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