sun-dried tomato pickle

Late spring/ early summer is prime pickle season in India.  That’s when sour, green mangoes are plenty and in my family (and many others), it’s a very busy time!  The choicest of raw mangoes are sourced from favorite sellers (often closely guarded secret), the best Guntur chillies are procured, cold-pressed sesame oil is brought in and the next few days is a mad rush of washing, wiping, cutting, mixing and then waiting for the first taste of the pickle.  Large batches are often made by mothers to send to their children too.  My annual stock of different varieties still comes from India every year.  My mom goes through the same annual drill of making pickles and taking them to the courier to be packed under her watchful eye:)  But with the current pandemic situation, that tradition has taken a break.

Since tomato pickle is loved even more than mango by my husband and son, I decided to make a batch to satisfy the pickle craving.  Feeling somewhat lazy to go through the tedious process of sun-drying fresh tomatoes, I decided to use some store-bought ones instead.  I had made something similar many years ago, and a cousin visiting a few months back made some too.  So I knew this worked and would be both quick and delicious.

The predominant spice in this pickle is methi (fenugreek) seeds.  Extremely bitter when raw, it takes on a wonderful flavor upon roasting.  Somewhat akin to the magic that happens when raw coffee beans are roasted.   The recipe calls for part of it to be roasted and powdered and a small part to be used in the seasoning.  The rest of the spices are minimal…just mustard seeds, dried red chillies and asafetida.  I have used sesame oil to make this but peanut oil works well too.  You could also use vegetable or canola oil.

The tomatoes are cooked with tamarind and the seasoning is added when both have cooled down to room temperature.  I added some tomato paste which is not traditional but I find that it ups the tomato flavor, esecially if the sun-dried ones don’t pack a punch.  It is a fairly straightforward process and doesn’t take very long.  I typically store most pickles in the fridge since we don’t consume it every day and I find they retain their freshness and color for a longer time.

And although I have a nice collection of  traditional Indian pickle jaadis (ceramic containers), my preferred way to store them is in recycled glass bottles….jam, peanut butter, chutneys…..all of them get washed and saved 🙂  Before using, I just give them a good bath in the dishwasher and then air dry them.  This method works well for me, since I keep the pickle in the fridge.

This pickle is delicious with dosas, vadas, adais and pesarattu.  Also tastes great spread on bread for sandwiches and of course, simply mixed into rice with some freshly made ghee poured on top:)

Print Recipe

Sun-Dried Tomato Pickle

A cheat version of the traditional Andhra tomato pickle. Perfect with rice, spread on bread and with south Indian tiffins.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sun-dried tomatoes (I use store-bought)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/8 cup tamarind*
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
• 3 tbsp red chili powder**
• 1 1/2 tbsp + 1/4 tsp fenugreek (methi seeds)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• Seasoning:
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4-1/2 tsp asafetida (Hing)
• 2/3 cup oil (preferably peanut or sesame)***

Instructions

1

Roast the 1 1/2 tbsp fenugreek seeds on medium heat until they turn dark brown. Cool completely and powder. Set aside. You may have a little extra powder left which you can save for other dishes.

2

Pulse the sun-dried tomatoes in a food-processor until they get crumbly. You don't want it to turn into a paste.

3

Put the oil for the seasoning in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop and the methi seeds start to turn dark brown, add the asafetida and the dried red chillies. Turn off the stove when the red chillies start getting puffy. Let this mixture cool completely.

4

Take the sundried tomatoes, water, tomato paste (if using) and tamarind in a non-reactive pan and mix well. Heat for 5-8 mins on medium heat until it the water is absorbed and it comes together like a soft dough. Turn off the stove and once it becomes lukewarm, add the salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and roasted methi powder.

5

Once the seasoning has come to room temperature, add it to the tomato mixture and stir well. Adjust the salt. Typically pickles are fairly salty since it gets milder when mixed into rice.

6

Transfer to bottles and store. I usually store this in the fridge.

Notes

* I use the tamarind that comes in the brick form. Choose the lightest color one that you can find. **Adjust the amount of the chili powder based on how spicy you like your food. I use Three Mangoes brand of chili powder for the pickle and this amount is perfect for us. *** This pickle is usually made with cold-pressed sesame oil. But peanut oil tastes great too. While you can use vegetable or canola oil, it may not be as flavorful.