Instant Tomato Pickle / Chutney

Summers in India mean all the homes busy preparing various types of pickles. The spicy mango pickle and the tangy lemon pickle are the most common; but both these pickles are very time consuming, thus  I wanted something which was quick, spicy and tangy; it was with this idea that I prepared Tomato Pickle-it looks like chutney but the spices used are of pickle. Yummy and instant!!!

Ingredients:

• 5 tomatoes
• ½ tsp mustard seeds (rai)
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 6 cloves garlic (optional)
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 Dry Red Chilies
• 2 tbsp Red Chilli powder (Lal Mirch)
• 3 tbsp Oil

Method:

1. Heat pan and dry roast mustard, fennel, fenugreek and dry red chillies.
2. In the blender blend together tomatoes, garlic and the above roasted spices.
3. Heat oil in the pan and add asafoetida in it. Then add the blended puree, salt, sugar and red chilli powder in it.
4. Cover it and let it boil till the consistency is running and water has evaporated. (The color will become dark red)
5. Once cool keep it in airtight container.

Serve it with rice, idli, dosa, sandwiches...almost all the dishes!