Tomato chutney

Chutneys are integral sides to South Indian cuisine. Without chutneys, certain meals are not complete! Today I will be sharing my three favorite chutneys that I make all the time for my family that pair well with South Indian cuisine. These chutneys are mostly served with Idli, Dosa, Upma, Uttapam, Appams, Pongal, etc. Chutneys really enhance the food and elevate it to the next level.

Tomato chutney is my all time favorite because it is spicy and has perfect tang to it. It goes well with any Indian cuisine, North or South! During my childhood, my mother used to make this on a weekly basis. I remember how I used to look forward to breakfast every morning before school and my mouth still waters thinking of it. The yummy chutney is so good with hot thepla! The combination is out of this world! This summer my garden has been producing lots of tomatoes and I have been putting them to good use making this side dish! My husband loves to eat this chutney with Papad and I continue to eat mine with my yummy Spinach-Fenugreek Thepla. To be honest, this chutney is good with everything and anything! It is a recipe that everyone must try in lifetime!

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Ingredients

For tomato chutney

3 medium tomatoes chopped

1 inch ginger piece

4-5 cloves of garlic

2 red dry chilies

2 green chilies

1 tbsp cashew nuts

1 tsp tamarind paste

2 tbsp oil

For tempering

1 tsp oil of choice

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp urad dal (split black gram)

3-4 curry leaves

1/2 tsp asafoetida

1-2 red dry chilies

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Method

Heat oil in a medium size pan. Once hot, add dry red chilies, ginger, garlic, cashews, tamarind paste. Mix well and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add green chilies, chopped tomato, and salt. Mix thoroughly and cook on low-medium until tomatoes are mushy. This process takes approximately 15 minutes. Once tomatoes are cooked thoroughly, remove in another pan. Once cool, blend into a smooth paste. Heat oil in a small pan. Once hot, add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add urad dal and roast until golden. Add curry leaves, red chilies and asafoetida. Roast all ingredients for 15 seconds and pour the tempering on the tomato chutney. Mix the chutney thoroughly to get all the tempering mixed well and your chutney is ready to be served! Store the chutney in the fridge in an airtight container up to 5 days.