Tomato/Thakkali Thokku is a spicy, tangy andra style tomato-based pickle or chutney recipe which can be used as a side dish for steamed rice, idli, dosa, and even for roti and chapati. Tomato Thokku is typically prepared with ripened and juicy tomatoes on a Stovetop pan or Instant Pot pressure cooker.
This Spicy Tomato thokku recipe can be easily stored in the refrigerator for two weeks and without refrigeration for 3-4 days.
My mother shared this recipe, and she learned this thakkali thokku recipe from her friend from Andhra Pradesh.
She prepared it as a side dish for idli, rasam, and rice combination in my childhood days. Also, try my mom's style Raw Green Tomato Chutney.
Visit my chutney recipes collection, especially Mint Peanut Chutney, Capsicum Peanut Chutney, Heerekai Chutney, Onion Chutney Recipe.
How to make Tomato Thokku on Stove Top 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, tamarind extract and cook them in a medium flame until the moisture from the tomatoes evaporates, which takes about 8-10 minutes.
Stir in between to avoid masala from sticking into 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 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 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 Instant Pot, Turn on SAUTE mode, add oil once hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, saute till dal turn light brown.
- Next add curry leaves, red chillies, hing, garlic and saute for few seconds.
- Add chopped tomatoes, salt, 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 oil oozes out of the tomato mixture and get desired consistency. **See video for reference.
- Spicy tomato thokku/pickle recipe is ready.
Andra Style Tomato Thokku Video Recipe
Tips & Variations to make Tomato Thokku
- 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 chili 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 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 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.
Checkout Chutney Podi recipes
- Gun Powder for idli/dosa tawa fry
- Fried gram/hurigadale chutney powder
- Peanut Chutney Powder
- Flax seed chutney powder
- Dry Coconut Chutney Powder.
Tomato Thokku Andra Style (Spicy Tomato Pickle)
Ingredients
- measuring cup used ,1 cup = 250ml
- 2 cups ripened & juicy tomato (appx 4 large tomato)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon methi/fenugreek seeds
Tempering
- 3 tablespoon 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)
- tamarind extract (from 1 gooseberry size)
- 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 masala from sticking into 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 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 .Can be stored in fridge for 2 weeks and without refrigeration for 3-4 days.
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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Nisha says
I made this yesterday in the instant pot! Turned out really yummy.thanks!
bhavana says
Thats cool Nisha ? Thank you sharing ? Do try other recipes on the blog, happy cooking ?
Syal says
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 says
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 😊