Tomato Pickle

Ingredients:

• Oil- 4-5 tbsp 
• Tomatoes- 1/2 kg
• Salt- 2-3 tbsp
• Red chilli powder- 2-3 tbsp
• Mustard & Fenugreek Powder- 1 1/2 tbsp

For Tempering:

• Oil- 5-6tbsp 
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Garlic cloves- 8-12 small, peeled
• Asafoetida- 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Wash and roughly chop the tomatoes.
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and add the tomato pieces. Also add salt and let it cook. 
3. Keep the heat on low to medium and mix occasionally. 
4. As the tomatoes soften and start to blend try to stir more so that it does not stick to the pan.
5. Also lower the heat to simmer.
6. Once the quantity reduces to half add red chilli powder and mix well. Form now take care to keep mixing as the mixture will start to splatter and stick to the pan.
7. Once the water evaporates and it turns into a paste turn off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
8. Meanwhile peel the skin of the garlic cloves.
9. Then add the mustard & fenugreek powder to the paste and mix well.
10. Heat oil in a small pan for tempering and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, garlic cloves and asafoetida.
11. When the mustard begins to splatter and the garlic starts to color turn off the heat. 
12. Pour this into the paste and mix well so that the oil fuses with the tomato.
13. Let it cool and store in an air tight container.
14. It will stay good for 15- 20 days in a refrigerator.
15. You can serve it with rice, idli, dosa or roti.

Tips:

1. The cooked tomato paste can be blended to make it into a smother paste. Personally I prefer the bite of tomatoes.
2. Also for those who do not like the seeds you can remove those but add the juice using a strainer. The flavor depends on the juice released by the tomatoes. Do not add any other water.