Tomato thokku is a quick and delicious side dish of tomatoes, spices and herbs. Serve as a side with rice, snacks and breakfasts like idli, dosa and uttapam.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Total time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 36 · 36 servings
  • Category: Side
  • Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients

  • 500 grams ripe tomatoes ((deseeded and chopped))
  • 1 tablespoons oil
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 tablespoon Ginger ((¾ inch, peeled and chopped))
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons Kashmiri red chilli powder ((adjust to taste, I use 3 to 4 tablespoons))
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder
  • ¼ teaspoon roasted methi seeds powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon salt ((more to adjust))
  • 1 tablespoon jaggery ((adjust to taste))
  • 1 to 2 tbsp oil
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ tablespoon ginger ((or garlic, optional))
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1 pinch hing

Method

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan and add ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 tablespoon fine chopped ginger. Let fry until the ginger turns fragrant without burning.
  2. Immediately add chopped tomatoes and salt. Saute on a high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and cook until the tomatoes have softened completely.
  3. Later remove the lid and cook until most of the juices evaporate and tomato mixture turns thick. (Check the stepwise pics in the post for consistency)
  4. Stir in jaggery, turmeric, red chilli powder, mustard powder & roasted methi powder. If you don't like the flavors of mustard and methi, skip them.
  5. Taste test and add more salt & red chilli powder if you want. Cook the tomato thokku for 2 mins and turn off.

Temper Tomato Thokku

  1. In a small pan heat 1 to 2 tablespoons oil. Add mustard seeds and half tablespoon ginger or garlic (optional). Let the ginger turn fragrant, add curry leaves and hing.
  2. Pour this over the hot tomato thokku. Give a good stir and cool completely. Store in a glass jar. Tomato thokku tastes best the next day after developing the flavors.
  3. Store in the refrigerator for a couple of months, but tastes best for a month. It keeps good at room temperature for 2 days.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.