Recipe for thakkali thokku – tomato thokku. Perfect recipe that stays fresh for long travels. Recipe with step by step pictures.
There are different kinds of relish used in everyday Tamil cuisine and tomato thokku is one of my favorites. It is very piquant in taste and goes very well for idli, dosa and chapati. This is a spicy and delicious thokku and can be stored for up to a month.
Here is how to do thakkali thokku.
We will need really ripe tomatoes for this recipe. Country tomatoes (naatu thakkali) is preferred as its more sour than regular tomatoes and tastes really well for this recipe. Cut the tomatoes roughly and add in the salt, tamarind and the dry red chillies. Let the tomatoes macerate in salt for 30 minutes. I have used rock salt today.
After 30 minutes, considerable amount of liquid would have come out of the tomatoes.
Grind the tomatoes, tamarind, the chillies that’s soaking, along with the rendered juices to a paste. Set aside.
Now we will make a masala powder for the thakkali thokku.
Dry roast mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Dry roast the ingredients separately. Dry roast till each ingredient is slightly brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Do not add a lot of fenugreek seeds as it might make the thokku bitter.
Grind the roasted spices to a smooth powder. Set aside.
Heat gingely oil (Indian sesame oil) in a pan and add in the mustard seeds and dried red chillies when the oil is hot. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the asafoetida. Sesame oil is traditionally used for making thokkus.
Add in the red chilli powder to the hot oil. Let the powder fry briefly for a few seconds. Do not fry for long as the powder may burn.
Add in the ground paste.
Add in the jaggery.
Let the mixture boil for 15-20 minutes on a high flame. Keep sauteing the mixture to avoid scorching at the bottom.
Once streaks of oil starts to float on top and the tomato mixture is slightly thick and has reduced considerably, add in the roasted ground powder.
After adding the powder, saute for a couple of minutes. The thokku will thicken up after adding the powder.
The thokku is ready.
Let the thokku cool completely. Bottle the thokku in a clean, dry glass / ceramic jar and store in the refrigerator for up to a month. use a dry spoon every time you need to scoop out the thokku.
Thakkali thokku recipe , Tomato thokku recipe
Recipe for thakkali thokku – tomato thokku. Perfect recipe that stays fresh for long travels. Recipe with step by step pictures.
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Ingredients
For macerating tomatoes
- 8–10 country tomatoes
- 2 teaspoon rock salt
- a gooseberry size tamarind
- 4 dried red chillies
For the masala powder
- 2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
For tempering
- 1/4 cup Indian gingely oil – Indian sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 4 dried gundu chillies
- 1.5 tablespoon red chilli powder (adjust according to your spice levels)
- 1 teaspoon asafoetida – hing
- 2–3 tablespoon jaggery
Instructions
- Cut the tomatoes roughly and add in the salt, tamarind and the dry red chillies. Let the tomatoes macerate in salt for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, considerable amount of liquid would have come out of the tomatoes.
- Grind the tomatoes, tamarind, the chillies that’s soaking, along with the rendered juices to a paste. Set aside.
- Dry roast mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Dry roast the ingredients separately. Dry roast till each ingredient is slightly brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Grind the roasted spices to a smooth powder. Set aside.
- Heat gingely oil (Indian sesame oil) in a pan and add in the mustard seeds and dried red chillies when the oil is hot. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the asafoetida.
- Add in the red chilli powder to the hot oil. Let the powder fry briefly for a few seconds.
- Add in the ground paste.
- Add in the jaggery.
- Let the mixture boil for 15-20 minutes on a high flame. Keep sauteing the mixture to avoid scorching at the bottom.
- Once streaks of oil starts to float on top and the tomato mixture is slightly thick and has reduced considerably, add in the roasted ground powder.
- After adding the powder, saute for a couple of minutes. The thokku will thicken up after adding the powder.
- The thokku is ready. Let the thokku cool completely. Bottle the thokku in a clean, dry glass / ceramic jar and store in the refrigerator for up to a month. use a dry spoon every time you need to scoop out the thokku.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Chutney
- Cuisine: Tamilnadu
Tried it today. It’s awesome!
Thank you so much.
Thank you ❣️ Nice and exact recipe. Tried it.
Thank you!
Amazing…tried it today !!
Thank you!
I’m in the process of making this thokku and found that the bubbles are too much to handle😞 it kept bubbling so much that i was afraid to store. Was it because of something i did wrong? I didn’t add extra water.
I meant afraid to stir
Just reduce the flame and you should be ok.
Hi Kanamma,
Can i use roma tomatoes for this recipe?
Thanks
you can but the thokku wont be sour. You can add a little tamarind pulp to adjust the sourness if need be.
Today I made Tomato thokku according to your preparation. It came out sooo tasty. My family members liked it so much. Thank you.
Thank you so much.
I am staying in South India but am not a South Indian..it’s been quite a long we are staying here and now have found of some of its food ..tomato thokku is one of them …everyone’s favourite..by looking at your recepie thought to just give it a try..first time I have cooked it today and yes it’s turned ourt super duper..beyond my expectations…thank you so much for the wonderful and we’ll explained recepie..👍🏼!!
Thank you!
I enjoy your recipes. Thank you. An avid cook and a foodie myself, I think what you do is very inspiring. I must definitely appreciate all the hard work, effort and time you take to do this. Keep inspiring .
Thank you so much Sangeetha.
Everybody in my family including my lil kids love this tomato thokku… Thanku sooo much for your yummy recipes…
Thank you!
Nice recipe
Seems great. Shall try. But would like to know that how long can I store it without a refrigerator. Please reply as I am planning to make it tomorrow.
You need to store this in the refrigerator else it will spoil.
Hi,
I am allergic to tamarind. What can i replace it with?
vinegar will work
Easy and simple recipe.. tastes yummy too..
This is a hit in our home Suguna. I keep replenishing whenever it gets over 😀😀
Please let me know the quantity of tomatoes in grams and any specific variety of tomatoes to be used in this recipe to give authentic flavor. And what kind of 4 dried red chilies you have used to macerating tomatoes.I have never made Thakkali Thokku. Waiting for your response.Thanks a lot
Those are gundu chillies.
Tomatoes about 750 grams. I have used naatu thakkali aka country tomatoes.
I tried it today.its really like vatha kolambu.my mom praised me
Excellent recipe. I used a mix of tomatoes- from my local farmers market and kumatos. Tastes yummy….Thanks a lot….I was finally satisfied with my thokku!
Thank you kannamma for the easy recipe.Made it first time, and turned out real well.I earlier thought making podia and pachadis is rocket science.
Tried the thokku, Really it was Awesome, Step by step instructions was very helpful
Can you post Onion Thokku receipe
Tried the thokku, Followed your step by step instructions, The Tomato Thokku Was Awesome, really everyone enjoyed a lot, Thank you for sharing
Can you post the Onion Thokku receipe
https://www.kannammacooks.com/onion-thokku-vengaya-thokku-recipe/
Perfect thokku!!! I tried this for the first time and it turned out pretty good.
Hello, This recipe looks so good so I have tried it and followed to a t. My thokku doesn’t have so much oil floating on the top as your pic. Shall I top with more oil? Does it need more oil to let it preserve well? Please advise
Hi Nafs, if you want to store for a long time, top it with heated and cooled sesame oil. Better to store in the refrigerator.