Tomato Chutney - Easy Tomato Chutney Recipe

Tomato Chutney is a tangy and spicy condiment that can be served as a side dish with Idli/Dosa or can be used as a spread for sandwiches and wraps. Its a very simple one pot recipe where you cook the tomatoes, garlic and spices till the they are cooked and then grind the whole mixture to get a smooth paste. I like to add some tamarind pulp to make this chutney even more tangy and spice it up with some red chilli powder. Easy to make and store, this chutney can stay good in an airtight container for days in the refrigerator. I initially tried this chutney with the Whole Wheat Dosa and have ever since loved this combination. Give it a try if you haven't already. 



Now to the recipe... 

Ingredients: 
3 tomatoes roughly chopped (approximately 2 and ½ cups)
2 big cloves of garlic mashed or roughly chopped
7-8 curry leaves
½ teaspoon of mustard seeds (rai)
½ teaspoon of fennel seeds (saunf)
1 teaspoon of nigella (onion) seeds (kalonji)
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds (zeera)
pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoon tamarind pulp (or to taste)

Method: 

In a pan heat oil and once hot add the mustard seeds. Once they begin to splutter add the cumin seeds, nigella seeds, fennel seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. Give it a quick stir and then add the garlic cloves (mashed) followed by the tomatoes. Add salt and stir. Cover and cook on medium heat till the tomatoes get soft and mushy. Add ¼ cup of water if you feel the mixture is sticking to the pan. Once the tomatoes are soft let this mixture cool down and then grind it. Use a tablespoon or two of water if required while grinding. Now return the smooth paste back into the vessel and add the tamarind pulp and red chilli powder. Mix well and simmer this for about 5 mins. Cool off completely and store in airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within a week or freeze for later use. 

Notes: 

• If you want to make this recipe non garlic one, just skip the addition of garlic keeping rest all ingredients and process same. 
• I usually prefer to add red chilli powder as that way I have control over the amount of heat/spice I want. But you can also add 2-3 dry red chillies or green chillies while cooking the tomatoes and grind all together. 
• If you don't have Tamarind you can add some lemon juice or vinegar too. 

That's it, our tangy and spicy Tomato Chutney is ready. Try it with the Whole Wheat Dosa or Idli. Enjoy!!

Happy Cooking!!
Shweta