The first time I remember having a tomato chutney was in a non-descript hotel we stayed for the night in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, on the way to Belam Caves. The red chillies were too potent for me. Clearly, I was not the local man. But with the chilli tempered down - the combination of tomato, dal, and red chilli was unbeatable.
So here is the home-made recipe, thanks to the wife.
Preparing the Tomato
Some vegetables are less forgiving than others. Potatoes for instance are among the most forgiving. Badly picked beans can leave you feeling very bovine. The quality makes or breaks the dish. So here, choose big red tomatoes, not too soft. Pick for natural sweetness.
The measures below are for 10 tomatoes.
Boil in water for up to 30mins. Till the skin splits. Allow to cool. Drain water. Remove peel. Lightly mash the tomatoes so that you leave many small chunks but also have mashed content. Do not grind the tomato into a paste even if you are tempted :)
Preparing the tadka
Heat the wok and add 3 to 4 tablespoons of til (Gingelly) or refined oil (Sunflower or Rice Bran).
Half a spoon each of mustard seeds, channa dal and urad dal.
Take 3 to 4 red chillies, break them and drop them in the oil. Hear them crackle.
When the dal browns, add the tomato, mix it well.
Add salt and turmeric to taste, stir well.
Reduction to chutney
Turn the flame to simmer, cover the wok with lid. Let it reduce until most of the water leaves and you have the red chutney or thick gravy consistency.
All set to serve. Have it with a dosa, roti, rice or even a nice sandwich.
Tips and Twists
The tomato chunks make the eating fun. If you mash it too much, becomes too pasty and the tomato loses the punch.
Many people don’t like hing or asafoetida. But its a personal favorite. Add it along with salt and turmeric.
The wife occasionally adds just a hint of jaggery or cane sugar. It offsets the red chilli nicely.
