Tomato (Thakkali) Thokku is a tangy and spicy Andhra-style tomato pickle or chutney that pairs perfectly with steamed rice, idli, dosa, or even roti and chapati. It’s usually made with ripe, juicy tomatoes, cooked either in a stovetop pan or in an Instant Pot pressure cooker.
As a South Indian, I love making a variety of chutneys at home. Our favorites include peanut onion chutney, tomato onion chutney, zucchini chutney, and more. Today I am sharing Andhra-style spicy tomato chutney, also sometimes known as tomato pickle.
My mother shared this recipe with me, learning it from her friend who hails from Andhra Pradesh. It makes a perfect side dish for idli, dosa, or for serving with steamed sona masoori rice and a drizzle of hot ghee. This Spicy Tomato thokku recipe can be easily stored in the refrigerator for two weeks and at room temperature for 3-4 days. Also, try my mom's style raw green tomato chutney.
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How to Make Tomato Thokku on a Stovetop Pan
Dry roast methi (fenugreek) and mustard seeds for 2-3 minutes until methi seeds turn golden brown on medium-low flame.
Turn off the gas, cool completely, and blend to a fine powder.
In a Kadai, add oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, red chilies, hing, garlic, and saute.
Add chopped tomatoes, salt, and tamarind extract and cook them on a medium flame until the moisture from the tomatoes evaporates, which takes about 8-10 minutes.
Stir in between to avoid the masala from sticking to the Kadai.
Once the oil starts to separate, add red chili powder, mustard-methi powder, adjust salt if needed, and jaggery to the mixture.
Cook until the oil oozes out of the tomato mixture.
Tomato or Thakkali thokku or tomato pickle recipe is ready to serve.
**Note: Store in the fridge for two weeks. Without refrigeration, you can store up to 3-4 days.
How to make Andra Style Tomato Thokku in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
- Dry roast methi (fenugreek) and mustard seeds for 2-3 minutes until methi seeds turn golden brown on medium-low flame in a stovetop pan.
- Turn off the gas, cool completely, and blend to a fine powder.
- In the Instant Pot, turn on SAUTE mode, add oil once hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, and sauté until the dal turns light brown.
- Next, add curry leaves, red chilies, hing, garlic, and saute for a few seconds.
- Add chopped tomatoes, salt, and tamarind extract, and cook on MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK on high for 8 minutes and wait for Natural Pressure Release.
- Once pressure has released naturally, turn on SAUTE again. Add red chili powder, mustard-methi powder, adjust salt if needed, and jaggery to the mixture.
- Cook until the oil oozes out of the tomato mixture and get the desired consistency. **See video for reference.
- The spicy tomato thokku/pickle recipe is ready.
Tips & Variations to Make Tomato Thokku
- You can replace regular tomatoes with cherry tomatoes. Use ripe red tomatoes to prepare tomato thokku / tomato pickle.
- You can skip garlic in this recipe and add extra hing (asafoetida).
- Tomato thokku tastes great when the right amount of oil, red chili powder, and salt is added, so be generous, as the sourness of the tomato will balance. Increase the tamarind quantity if the tomatoes are not sour.
- If you prefer the spicy chutney to be very smooth, you can also blend the tomato and add puree instead of whole chunks.
- Use sesame oil for an authentic tomato thokku recipe.
- Finally, if you are preparing a large quantity, it takes a long time for the tomatoes to cook. You can also use an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker to make tomato thokku.
More Indian Chutney Recipes
Tomato Thokku Andra Style (Spicy Tomato Pickle)
Ingredients
- 2 cups ripened & juicy tomatoes (appx 4 large tomato)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon methi/fenugreek seeds
Tempering
- 3 tablespoons oil (more the better taste)
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon split urad dal
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 2 dry red chillies
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 2 cloves garlic minced (optional)
- 1 gooseberry size tamarind extract
- 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
- salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon jaggery
Instructions
- Dry roast methi (fenugreek) and mustard seeds for 2-3 minutes until methi seeds turn golden brown on medium low flame.
- Turn off the gas, cool completely, and blend to a fine powder.
- In a kadai, add oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, red chillies, hing, garlic, and saute.
- Add chopped tomatoes, salt, tamarind extract, and cook them in a medium flame until moisture from the tomatoes evaporates, takes about 8-10 minutes. Stir in between to avoid the masala from sticking to the kadai.
- Once oil starts to separate add red chilli powder, mustard-methi powder ,adjust salt if needed and jaggery to the mixture and cook until oil oozes out of the tomato mixture.
- Tomato thokku or tomato pickle is ready. Can be stored in the fridge for 2 weeks and without refrigeration for 3-4 days.
How to Make Tomato Thokku in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
- Dry roast methi (fenugreek) and mustard seeds for 2-3 minutes until methi seeds turn golden brown on medium-low flame in a stove-top pan. Turn off the gas, cool completely, and blend to a fine powder.
- In an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, Turn on SAUTE mode, add oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, red chillies, hing, garlic, and saute.
- Add chopped tomatoes, salt ,tamarind extract and cook on MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK on high for 8-10 minutes and wait for Natural Pressure Release.
- Once pressure has released naturally,Turn on SAUTE again add red chilli powder, mustard-methi powder, adjust salt if needed and jaggery to the mixture and cook until oil oozes out of the tomato mixture. See video for reference.
- Tomato thokku or tomato pickle is ready.
Notes
- You can replace regular tomatoes with cherry tomatoes.Use ripped red tomatoes to prepare tomato thokku / tomato pickle.
- You can skip garlic in this recipe and add extra hing(asafoetida).
- Tomato thokku tastes great when the right amount of oil, red chilli powder and salt is added so be generous as the sourness of tomato will balance.Increase tamarind quantity if tomatoes are not sour.
- If you prefer the thokku to be very smooth ,you can also blend the tomato and add puree instead of whole chunks.
- Finally, if you are preparing in large quantity, it takes a long time for tomatoes to cook.So you can also use Instant Pot Pressure Cooker to make tomato thokku.
Nutrition
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Syal
Too good recipe.. I have made this numerous times. Came out just like back home. Sometimes I add half chopped onion when I make a large large quantity of tomato thokku. I have to make this often with dosa, its that delicious! Thanks for this recipe.
Bhavana Patil
Whenever someone says, my recipe reminded them of their home, it brings immense joy and satisfaction to me. I am very glad to hear that you loved the recipe. Thank you for your feedback Syal 😊
Nisha
I made this yesterday in the instant pot! Turned out really yummy.thanks!
bhavana
Thats cool Nisha ? Thank you sharing ? Do try other recipes on the blog, happy cooking ?