Cherry Tomato Pickle / Spicy Andhra Tomato Thokku

Recipe Cooked, Photographed and Written by Praveena

PrepTime:10 mins   CookTime:30 mins   Cuisine:Indian

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Table of Contents⇓    Recipe Card⇓

Cherry Tomato pickle / Spicy Andhra Tomato Thokku, whenever I prepare tomato pickle I definitely remember my Akka (elder sister) who was super fond of this pickle, whenever my Mother used to make during our childhood days.

She loves this pickle to such an extent that, she used to leave all other dishes aside and prefer to eat it. Exceptionally, the day when its freshly made. 🙂 

I generally make tomato pickle with the normal tomatoes. But, this time I had to try this pickle with these tiny little cherry tomatoes.

One Sunday, my husband brought a kilo of these little red ones. I felt, I can’t use so many for salads or in kids lunches nor can I store for long. So I thought, why not, try making pickle that can be stored for couple of months. 

The next day (Monday) when he was back home from office, he was surprised to see these cute jars of tomato pickle. He would definitely be…since I served this spicy pickle with hot rice, and a spoonful of homemade ghee, just as shown in the pic below.

This is an instant pickle but on the other side can be stored in the refrigerator for couple of months. Yet shall stay fresh. 

Do try this, Cherry Tomato Pickle / Spicy Andhra Tomato Thokku, and you will surely like this easy recipe, which can be served and consumed with rice,  roti, paratha, idli, dosa, etc!  I bet you will love it!!!

((Don’t be worried about this long recipe page, though the recipe and ingredients are quite simple, I have explained every little thing in detail, which makes this look long.))

Table of Contents:

Click to Expand / Collapse

1. Short Video for ‘Homemade Easy Tomato Pickle’:
2. Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘South Indian Tomato Pickle’:
3. How to serve, ‘Simple Instant Tomato Pickle’:
4. Storage Suggestions for, ‘South Indian Tomato Thokku’:
5. Other recipes from my blog:
6. Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Cherry Tomato pickle / South Indian Spicy Tomato Thokku’:
   1. Prep Work:
   2. Prepare Dry Masala:
   3. Cooking:
   4. Tadka / Tempering:
   5. Storage:
7. Tips:
8. Result:
9. Recipe Card & Print:

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Short Video for ‘Homemade Easy Tomato Pickle’:

Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘South Indian Tomato Pickle’:

Adding garlic cloves: If you wish to, you add (6 to 8 ) cloves of garlic in the tempering.

Tomato Variety: Any variety of tomatoes like regular tomatoes (except for salad tomatoes) can be used for this recipe. 

Kind of Tomatoes: Green tomatoes work perfectly well. See the pic below. Do not bother if you are using ripe tomatoes or unripe green tomatoes. I have tried the same recipe using both varieties, either way the pickle turned great.

Oil type: Gingelly oil / Sesame Oil is the best for this pickle but you can even use vegetable oil or sunflower oil.

How to serve, ‘Simple Instant Tomato Pickle’:

This, South Indian style Pickle, can be served in many ways while the most common are as a perfect accompaniment in Indian meals and South Indian breakfast. 

First is with piping hot plain white rice, topped up with homemade ghee, as shown in pic below. Just mix up everything gently and savour.

Next as a best side dish with idli, dosa, uthappam, upma, pongal. Here is my collection of breakfast recipes>> Breakfast / Tiffin 

One great combination is to serve this South Indian pickle along with simple curd rice. It tastes awesome.

Other options would be to use as a sandwich spread if you are a lover of spicy sandwiches.

Storage Suggestions for, ‘South Indian Tomato Thokku’:

Always prefer to store the pickle in glass jars rather than plastic or metal containers.

Even before transferring the pickle into storage jars, clean the jars twice with a kitchen towel so that they are completely dry.

Small drop of water trace in the jar can spoil the pickles life.

This, Cherry Tomato pickle / Andhra tomato thokku can be served immediately once its cooled down.

Spoons used for serving the pickle should also be dry.

Following the above simple storage tips, this traditional South Indian pickle will definitely have a longer shelf life, up to 3-4 months.

Other recipes from my blog:

Before starting to cook, don’t forget to see the Tips mentioned at the end.

Chutney recipes collection⇒  Chutney / Pachadi / Dip

Pickle recipes⇒  Pickle / Ooragaya

Meal Platters collection⇒  Bhojanam / Thali / Meal Platter

Related Posts:

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Ingredients:

• Cherry Tomatoes / any variety tomatoes – 1 kg
• Fenugreek/methi seeds – 2 tablespoons
• Red Chilly Powder – 10 to 12 teaspoons
• Salt – 5 tea spoons or as per your taste
• Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon
• Cooking Oil – 8 tablespoons
• Mustard seeds/Aavaalu – 1 teaspoon
• Asafoetida/hing / inguva – ½ teaspoon
• Dry Red Chillies – 4
• Fresh Curry Leaves – 8 to 10 (optional)

Special Ingredients:

• Fenugreek seeds/ Methi seeds / Menthulu
• Red Chilly Powder
• Asafoetida/hing

Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Cherry Tomato pickle / South Indian Spicy Tomato Thokku’:

Prep Work:

Firstly, wash the tomatoes with cold water and wipe clean them thoroughly using a kitchen towel. 

If you are using any other tomatoes, cut each into 8 pieces.

Prepare Dry Masala:

Put a small pan on stove top under low flame. Add the fenugreek seeds / methi seeds / menthulu.

Dry roast by stirring continuously, until you get a pleasant aroma. Do not burn the fenugreek seeds. (takes 3-4 mins)

Switch the flame off, take them off the pan and let them cool down to room temperature.

Grind them in a mixer or blender to  make into fine powder.

Cooking:

Put a heavy bottomed pan or vessel, on stove top under medium flame & add 4 tablespoons of oil.

Transfer all the tomatoes, turmeric powder and half of the quantity of salt.

Give everything a gentle mix. Close the lid and let the tomatoes cook until they completely soften.

After 15 to 20 mins, check if the tomatoes if have completely softened.

If so, add ground fenugreek seeds powder / methi powder, red chilly powder and the remaining salt.

Give everything a thorough mix and continue them on stove top without lid.

The water formed because of steaming the tomatoes should completely drain out of the pan and the tomatoes.

This might take 5 to 10 mins. If not continue until the water is evaporated. Switch the flame off.

Tadka / Tempering:

Put a small pan on medium flame, add the remaining oil.

When the oil heats up, add the mustard seeds let them dance in the oil. Add the dry chillies and inguva/ hing/ asafoetida.

Transfer this tempering into the tomato pickle. Mix everything very carefully.

Adding cumin seeds/jeera to the tempering, is optional.

Storage:

Let the pickle to cool down completely.

Transfer the pickle into clean & dry airtight containers and store it in refrigerator.

Tips:

• After washing the tomatoes wipe clean them carefully such that there is no trace of water.
• Do not chop the tomatoes. They are very tiny, hence this avoids some work. 
• Adjust the salt and red chilly powder as per your taste.
• For tempering / tadka/ thalimpu you can use the same pan which you used for roasting the fenugreek / methi seeds.
• Do not cut down the amount of oil, use 1-2 tablespoons more if you think it’s needed for the pickle.

Result:

• Look at that red spicy pickle in the jar below, for the texture and colour of it at the end.
• Do try this and you will surely like this easy recipe, which can be served with rice, roti, paratha, idli, dosa, etc! 
• The taste of this, Cherry tomato pickle / Spicy Andhra tomato thokku, is hot and spicy ,if you have added the above amount of chilli powder and salt.

Recipe Card & Print:

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