Thakkali Thokku is a traditional South Indian pickle/side dish prepared with tomatoes. Tomato thokku made using pressure cooker is super easy. Tomato pickles taste great with tiffin items like idli, dosa, uthappam, upma, chappati, etc. It tastes good for weeks. Tasty make-ahead pickle /side dish variety. Tomatoes are a perfect combination of tanginess and mild sweetness. I can’t imagine a grocery trip without buying tomatoes. Be it a gravy/chutney/soup/rice tomatoes always make the dish extra special.
Tomato thokku is one of my childhood favorites. Growing up I was not a big fan of pulikaichal. Next to mango pickle tomato pickle was my favorite. Those days I use to eat pickles almost every day. Irrespective of whatever rice accompaniment Amma makes. I always like mixing a little pickle with rice and having it for curd rice.
Before marriage, I have never tried preparing thakkali thokku. In Amma’s absence, I try to cook something, but she always makes tomato thokku and pulikaichal before travel and keeps it in the fridge. A couple of years back I tried it for the first time. Tomato pickle was the first pickle I ever tried. I was so worried about how it will taste, but We both finished the jar in no time. It is a bit time consuming but taste subsides the stirring effort. Recently I updated the pressure cooker version which makes it easy. Less time near the stove. Also, check out tomato onion chutney and tomato kurma Tomatoes can be chopped finely and made thokku or rough chop and grind. Both Aammas usually grind it so I follow the same procedure. I have heard from a friend that thokku can also be prepared but boiling the tomatoes in hot water, peel the skin; Cool, and grind. I am yet to try that method. Tomato thokku doesn’t require lot of ingredients. Tomato thokku tastes great with dishes like Semiya Bagala bath or restaurant-style curd rice or tiffin varieties etc. It tastes amazing with plain rice as well! pickle recipe collections
How to make thakkali thokku stovetop: Red chilli powder – 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon (adjust according to your spice level) Sesame oil - 3 tablespoon (Increase oil if you are going to store for more than one week) Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 teaspoon or fenugreek powder - pinch Jaggery – 1 tablespoon heaped Salt - as needed
Put tomatoes in a blender and blend without adding water Add oil to a wide pan (while boiling, tomatoes tend to spit spill outside). When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and let it splutter. Add tomato puree and saute occasionally
When tomato puree reduces to half, add red chilli powder and salt Keep stirring once in a while. Add jaggery after the raw smell of Chilli powder goes off
Cook till water evaporates completely and the tomatoes become thick
Pressure cooker thakkali thokku:
In a wide mixing bowl add chopped tomatoes, salt, Chilli powder and a pinch of turmeric powder
Grind them without adding water
Add oil to the pressure cooker when oil is hot add mustard seeds and let it splutter
Add the blended purée and cook for about 1 minute till they start bubbling
Cook for 25-28 whistles for 25 minutes and let the pressure settle down
Open the cooker and mix well
Add jaggery and mix well
Depending on the tomatoes it will be watery When thokku comes to your desired consistency add fenugreek powder and mix well
Switch off and let it cool down
Store it in an airtight container Thokku stays good for 2 weeks
