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Tomato thokku
Spiced tomato preserve
Thakkali thokku (தக்காளி தொக்கு): tomatoes slow-cooked in sesame oil with chilli and fenugreek into a keeping relish
Thokku is the Tamil answer to a jar of chutney: ripe tomatoes cooked down slowly in plenty of gingelly oil with red chilli, tamarind and roasted fenugreek until thick, dark and glossy. A spoonful turns plain curd rice, idli or chapati into a proper lunch box, and travellers from Madurai carry it for trips because it keeps for weeks. The mistake is stopping too early; it is ready only when the oil floats free around the edges and a spoon dragged across the pan leaves a clean trail. Chef's tip: roast the fenugreek seeds until reddish before grinding; raw fenugreek makes the thokku bitter.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb ripe tomatoeschopped
- ¼ cup sesame oil (gingelly)
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 6 cloves garlicsliced
- 12 curry leaves
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp red chilli powderuse half Kashmiri for less heat
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp jaggery (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 1 tsp fenugreek seeds in a small pan over a low heat for 1–2 minutes until reddish-brown and nutty. Cool and grind to a powder.
2 minStep 2: Heat ¼ cup sesame oil (gingelly) in a heavy wide pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp black mustard seeds and let it crackle, then add 6 cloves garlic and 12 curry leaves and fry for 1 minute.
1 minStep 3: Add 2 ¼ lb ripe tomatoes, 1 tbsp tamarind paste, ½ tsp ground turmeric and 1 ½ tsp salt. Cook uncovered over a medium heat, stirring every few minutes, for 20 minutes until the tomatoes break down completely.
20 minStep 4: Add 2 tbsp red chilli powder, the fenugreek powder and 1 tsp jaggery. Lower the heat and keep cooking, stirring more often as it thickens and spits, for 15–20 minutes until it is dark red, jammy and the oil separates around the edges.
18 minStep 5: Cool completely and pack into a clean, dry jar with a film of oil on top. Always use a dry spoon. It keeps 2 weeks at room temperature in a cool kitchen or 4 weeks in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 90 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tomato thokku take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of black mustard seeds?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
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