Tomato Pickle in Mustard Oil and Vinegar

This sharp and tangy tomato pickle works beautifully as a dip for stuffed parathas.

With mustard oil and vinegar serving as preservatives, the pickle stays good for weeks without much fuss.

You Need:

• Tomatoes – 500 grams
• Ginger – 100 grams
• Garlic – 50 grams
• Green chilies – 10 (more if you like it hotter)
• Mustard oil – 1 small cup
• Vinegar – 1 small cup
• Salt – 3 heaped teaspoons
• Sugar – 3 heaped teaspoons

In the picture above: Mustard oil and vinegar. Cupfuls of both have been measured out for tomato pickle.

How To Make Tomato Pickle in Mustard Oil and Vinegar:

Chop the tomatoes into roughly 1/2-inch pieces.

Peel ginger and garlic. Cut the heads off green chilies.

Coarsely grind (or crush using a mortar and pestle) ginger, garlic and green chilies together.

In a kadhai or skillet, heat a cup of mustard oil to smoking point.

Set the heat to low, and gently slide in chopped tomatoes from the side of the pan.

[Caution! Don’t try what my sister did: she dunked a tomato piece right in the middle of the hot oil to see what happens. Guess what happens? The hot oil splutters angrily and lashes outside of the kadhai, resulting in a messy kitchen counter and, if you’re out of luck, burn spots on you. While you come to terms with the mishap, that lone tomato piece chars of course. We could fortunately salvage the situation without much harm, but you are advised not to push your luck.]

Cook the tomatoes on high heat for five minutes, stirring every minute.

Add crushed ginger-garlic-green chili paste to the pan. Stir and cook together for two minutes.

Add salt, sugar and a cup of vinegar. Cook for another five minutes.

Take the kadhai off the heat. Let it cool to room temperature.

Tomato pickle in mustard oil and vinegar is ready. You could eat the pickle right away though it tastes best after the flavors have fused and settled – this takes a day or two. Refrigerate to help it stay good for a couple of weeks.

Serving suggestion: on the side with sattu paratha, aloo baingan bharta and plain homemade yogurt.

Notes:

Store tomato pickle in a clean dry non-reactive container (glass/ceramic), and keep it away from moisture.

Interested in other tomato pickle/chutney recipes? Try desi tomato salsa, tomato red chili chutney and tomato peanut chutney.