Tomato Pickle

This Tomato Pickle I am talking about is my Mom's specialty and I had always wanted to learn how to make it. So this weekend was the D-Day and I can't tell you how yummy the achaar has turned up. When we were cooking the aroma that encompassed the house transported me to my childhood days. Of how we used to polish off the achaar with Mathri's & aloo paratha's....sigh!!! *this reminds me to call up my bro to tease him*

So on special request of RM here is the recipe. Do note that my Mom works on approximation (like all people of her generation used to when cooking) but she has very sweetly given me the measurement for blog purpose. So here we go..

Tomato Pickle

Ingredients

Tomato:                1 kg (ensure that you pick up red stiff ones and not the desi ones)

Refined Oil:           1/2 Cup (more if you want)
Ginger:                  1.5 Tbsp (finely chopped)

Green Chilly:       1 Tbsp (finely chopped) You can increase or decrease this as per the spice level you want

Methi Seeds:         15-20 

Mustard Seeds:      1.5 teaspoon

Salt:                      To Taste

Turmeric Powder: 2 Tbsp

Red Chilly:            1 Teaspoon

Vinegar:                 1/2 Cup

Spices to be powdered

Mustard Seeds:     1.5 Tbsp

Methi Seeds:         1/2 Tbsp

Cut the tomatoes as shown in below picture (choosing the right tomato makes your job easy coz the desi ones have more water content and will take more time for the pickle to get cooked) i.e. halve them and then slice it again in half and cut fine slices. Chop the Ginger & Chilly finely. 

Heat oil in a big heavy base vessel. When the oil is heated add the whole Mustard and Methi Seeds. As they start spluttering add the Ginger & Chilly. After a minute add the powdered spices, Salt, Chilly & turmeric powder.

Cook it for half a minute and then dump in the tomatoes

Turn the flame on high and cover the vessel.Keep checking the mixture and keep stirring it every now & then so that the tomato doesn't stick. Once the water reduces, reduce the flame on medium and cook the tomatoes. You will see how it changes colour.

Don't multitask while cooking this because tomato has a tendency to stick. Keep cooking & stirring at regular intervals till the oil separates (should take anywhere between 20 mins to 1/2 hour). Once it reaches stage 4 of the photo above, add the vinegar and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn the gas off and your pickle is ready to be savored. This Pickle needs to be stored in refrigerator