Thakkali Thokku | Tomato Thokku

Thakkali Thokku is a concentrated chutney of sorts made from tomatoes, flavored with red chili powder and fenugreek powder. It can be mixed with rice to make flavorful tomato rice. It can also be had as an accompaniment to idli, dosas, and chappatis. A little goes a long way and one jar will last you an entire week. It’s perfect for a quick breakfast or dinner.

This tomato thokku recipe has been handed down through generations in my family. Growing up, I’ve always associated train journeys with tomato thokku and chappatis or idlis. Mom would diligently prepare this brahmin style tomato thokku the night before our journey and pack it in a clean jar and seal it with a tight lid. We would later relish our meals with this tangy condiment.

When I moved out and started cooking, I took down the recipe for this thakkali thokku from my mom. It has been a regular in my kitchen for almost a decade. I usually make this on the weekends, and I would have enough thokku for an instant tomato rice. We also enjoy tomato thokku with dosa and idli.

What is Tomato Thokku?

• Tomato Thokku or Thakkali thokku is a flavorful pickle like dip made from tomatoes.
• The tomatoes are cooked with red chili powder, fenugreek powder and salt till all the moisture evaporates.
• You can add ginger and/or garlic to make Tomato thokku.
• You can mix it with rice to make instant tomato rice
• You can serve it as a chutney alongside idli or dosas
• Most South Indian families carry Thakkali thokku for travel.

This thakkali thokku

• Is Vegan
• Uses only 3 main ingredients
• Can be stored in the fridge for up to 10 days.
• Is Versatile
• Is flavor packed and will be loved by everyone

Ingredients for making Thakkali Thokku

Tomatoes

Choose tomatoes that are generally sour and not sweet. Tomatoes lend the maximum flavor to this thokku. Please choose good quality tomatoes.

Red chili powder

You can use regular or Kashmiri chili powder. Adjust the quantity based on your spice tolerance. We don’t eat very spicy food and like to keep the spice level at medium.

Fenugreek/Methi seeds powder

Fenugreek seeds are small oval seeds that you can find in any Indian grocery store. They render an amazing complex flavor to this thokku. Do not use more than what’s mentioned as they can turn the dish bitter.

Sesame Oil

Traditionally, Sesame oil is used to make this thakkali thokku. Try to get cold pressed sesame oil if you can to reap all the health benefits from it.

How to make Thakkali thokku?

1. Wash the tomatoes well and dry it completely.

2. Chop the tomatoes roughly and grind them coarsely.

3. Prepare the tempering and cook the tomato puree along with salt, turmeric powder, and red chili powder

4. When the thakkali thokku is almost ready, add the fenugreek powder.

5. Cook till oil starts oozing out from the sides.

Step-by-Step method

Prepping the tomatoes

Wash the tomatoes well. Dry them completely using a clean towel or air dry them. Basically, you must make sure that the tomatoes are not wet. This will ensure longer shelf life. Wash the curry leaves also and dry them.

Once the tomatoes are completely dry, roughly quarter them and add them to a blender/mixie. Grind them coarsely. Don’t make a smooth puree. Alternatively, you can chop the tomatoes finely to avoid blending them. I like to keep things simple and prefer blending them to cut down the time spent chopping the tomatoes. You can also remove the seeds if you like. I don’t mind the seeds in my thokku.

Roasting the Fenugreek seeds

Meanwhile, dry roast the fenugreek seeds in a small pan and grind them to a powder. I used my mortar and pestle. You could use a spice grinder or the small jar of your mixie.

Tempering

To a heavy bottom pan, add sesame/gingelly oil. Once it’s hot, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida powder.

Cooking the mixture

Add the ground/chopped tomatoes and red chili powder. You can increase or decrease the quantity based on your spice tolerance. We like to keep it to a mild-medium level. Add the turmeric powder and salt. Mix them well together. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

Depending on the type of vessel you use to cook the thokku, you may have to use a lid to cover it while it cooks to avoid splatter. I use a heavy iron Dutch oven which retains even heat throughout the vessel, and I didn’t have to use a lid. Keep the lid partially open to let the steam escape.

Finishing touches

When the mixture stops splattering, add the powdered fenugreek, and mix well. Add more oil if necessary. (Took me about 12 minutes)

Keep cooking till oil starts oozing out from the sides of the pan as shown in the picture below. (Took me about 7 minutes)

Transfer it to a sterilized clean jar and let it cool down completely before closing it with a lid.

What can I do if my thakkali thokku is not sour?

If your tomatoes are not sour, add half a teaspoon of tamarind paste. Alternatively, you can soak a gooseberry sized tamarind and add the water extracted from it. Keep in mind that the cooking time will increase in this case.

What can I do if my thakkali thokku is too sour?

If your tomatoes are very sour, you may end up with a very sour thokku. You can add 1/4 teaspoon of jaggery (add more depending on the sourness) to balance out the sourness. Add jaggery when you are just about to turn the heat off.

How to use thakkali thokku?

• You can mix it with rice or quinoa and serve it as Tomato rice. In the photos I’ve mixed it with quinoa with a side of Oven Roasted Broccoli
• You can service tomato thokku for dosa or idli as a side.
• My mom usually packs chappatis and thakkali thokku when we take long distant train journeys.

What is the shelf life of Tomato thokku?

This thokku stays good at room temperature for 2 days. If you’re planning to store it for longer than 2 days, refrigerate immediately after it cools down. It should stay good for up to 10 days in the refrigerator.

How to store Thakkali thokku?

Let the thokku cool down completely and transfer it to a clean dry jar. Tightly seal it with a lid and refrigerate if you plan to keep it for longer than 2 days. Always use a clean and dry spoon when you serve the thokku. Do not leave the spoon inside when you store it. If needed, you can also top it with a teaspoon of sesame oil when you store it.