Amazing moments, once in life time experience.
This weekend we were hanging around Dubai to get AT THE TOP experience of Burj Khalifa, world’s tallest building, an iconic destination. It was stunning, breathtaking visual delight I must say. A dedicated elevator takes you to 125th floor within a minute which is a level above breathtaking. At 456 meters above the ground in a spacious observatory deck you can enjoy stunning 360-degree views of the city. What a memorable weekend it was in a chilly air….
Winter has stepped in to Middle East and I am craving for something spicy, tangy side dish with rice. So is this bright red tomato thokku at my kitchen today. This dip is easy and no long list of ingredients to assemble.
Chopping ripe tomatoes in to very small pieces is the elaborated process in this recipe otherwise it’s just seasoning with spices. A small quantity of mustard and fenugreek seeds, dry roasted and powdered, when added to tomato thokku blend very well and balance the taste. I have ensured that the tomatoes are cooked in simmer to mash-able consistency because I like tomato bites to be undetectable to my mouth in the thokku. Having said that I don’t advice to grind tomatoes after chopping, which makes tomato thokku to look like puree. I also like adding finely chopped green chillies to spice up the thokku…You too can try if you are a spice LOVER. Thokku can stay for two days outside refrigerator only if it is cooked until moisture-free.
So what are you waiting for..Get ready and cook.
Tomato Thokku Recipe
Ingredients
- Ripe tomatoes- 6 no.
- Red chilly powder- 1 to 1.5 tsp as per taste
- Salt- 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
- Jaggery powder- 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
Seasoning ingredients
- Cooking oil- 4 tsp
- Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
- Split black gram lentil- 1/4 tsp
- Curry leaves- few
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash the tomatoes under running water and pat dry them using kitchen towel. Chop them in to fine pieces.
Method
- Heat a heavy bottom pan or kadai adding all the seasoning ingredients in the order mentioned under "Seasoning ingredients" list.
- When the mustard seeds start popping up, include finely chopped tomatoes. Add salt, turmeric powder, jaggery and red chilly powder. Saute well and let it cook in simmer.
- Meanwhile heat a seasoning pan and dry roast fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds one after the other. Fenugreek seeds will turn brown and mustard seeds will pop up when they are rightly roasted.
- Using mortar and pestle finely powder the roasted fenugreek and mustard together.
- When the tomatoes are cooked completely to a mash-able consistency and thokku has started thickening, include the roasted fenugreek, mustard seed powder. Mix well. Switch off flame.
- Tomato thokku is ready to be relished as side dish with rice, curd rice or dosa.
Notes
- Do not add any water to cook tomatoes.
- If the tomatoes you are using are more sour, then you may have to increase spices like red chilly and jaggery.
- You can also add finely chopped green chillies along with red chilly powder.
- Tomato thokku calls for more oil than any other. So add accordingly.
