Tomato thokku , Thakkali thokku recipe

Updated on September 22, 2023 by Raks Anand 84 Comments

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Tomato thokku is one of the delicious pickle that we can make at home. Let's see how to make thakkali thokku with stepwise pictures, full video.

You can prepare when tomatoes are in season and enjoy with your breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Check out my mango thokku and Mint thokku in this website.

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Ingredients
Step by step images:
Serving suggestions
Shelf life
Recipe card

What is tomato thokku?

Tomato thokku or thakkali thokku is an south Indian condiment with flavors from spices and tanginess from tomato.

Thokku is typically a thick, semi-solid condiment, a concentration of the main ingredient along with spices, cooked until it reduces in volume and oil is added more for longer shelf life.

The taste can vary from tangy, spicy or sweet depending on the ingredients added and there are also regional variations.

I make thakkali thokku very often, so I can make it confidently. I make it in very small batches though, so reduce the oil content and finish fast.

There's one of Vj's friend, Aman, who is a big fan of this pickle. He always ask for this pickle when he comes home.

Recipe source, my mom-in-law 🙂 So obviously my hubby's favorite as well as family favorite at in-law's place.

Why I love this?

I learnt this after marriage from my MIL. She uses sambar powder, so it adds a nice flovour. Our sambar powder is mostly coriander, chilli and have traces of dals, pepper, cumin, turmeric and methi. It helps in thickening fast too.

Ingredients

Tomato - I used the ones we get here. use ripe, red tomatoes for good colour. If you get the local varieties, it will be best for tangy results (naatu thakkali).
Red chilli powder - Kashmiri chilli gives colour and mild in spice.
Sambar powder - Highlight of this recipe as it has lots of coriander and traces of other spices too.
Turmeric - for colour, also good to use while using so much spicy powders.
Jaggery - Gives balanced taste.
Sesame oil - Best for adding in large quantities, for it's goodness as well as flavor.
Salt

Step by step images:

Roast fenugreek seeds firstly in a few drops of oil till golden brown, cool down and powder it.

Wash the tomatoes and chop them finely.
Heat a heavy bottomed pan with oil and temper with mustard, add curry leaves and asafoetida and fry without burning.
Then add the chopped tomatoes, all the spice powders and salt.

4. Mix well and reduce the flame to medium low.

5. Cook for 5-8 minutes , stirring in between to avoid burning. Add the jaggery and powdered fenugreek seeds powder and mix well.

6. Add 2 teaspoon sesame oil if needed at this stage. After few minutes(1-2 minutes),at a stage,oil starts oozing out. Switch off the stove and cool down.

Transfer to airtight container and refrigerate. I enjoyed today with curd rice 🙂

Serving suggestions

Tomato thokku goes well with curd rice, idli, dosa, chapathi, paratha or even upma. It adds depth, richness to wide range of south Indian dishes, so it's the best accompaniment.

Shelf life

This version keeps good for 2-3 weeks in refrigerator. You can increase this by cooking furthermore and adding more oil so that oil floats on top when you are bottling.

Use clean & dry spoon, take only required portion from fridge and put it back immediately.

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5 from 4 votes