Chutneys & Pickles are two very important accompaniments of Indian cuisine. Almost every household has its own recipe and preference for its preserves.
When I was growing up we had many varieties of Chutney. The season of the year was a really important factor in all the recipes and ingredients.
Tomato Chutney is a classic among all the winter chutneys. It is tangy, sweet, quick, and delicious. You can compare this chutney to a preserve since it has a shelf life of about two weeks and it is cooked in sugar/jaggery.
These days everything is available year round so the concept of seasonal dishes is all but lost. Still, when winters come I love to make my favourite Tomato Raisin Chutney.
What Ingredients are Needed for Tomato Chutney?
Tomatoes- Any good quality ripe tomato will work. I prefer vine ripe tomatoes because they are juicy and sweet. Since we don't use any type of liquid here, juicy tomatoes work best.
Raisin- I used Golden raisins in this recipe. You can replace raisins with grapes. I use them sometimes and they go perfectly well with the tomatoes.
Jaggery/Sugar- I used jaggery because it gives a beautiful rich colour and taste. If you don't have jaggery you can use sugar.
Bay Leaf, Dry Red Chilli, Ground Ginger, Salt, Vinegar, Ghee/Butter/Oil and Indian five Spice Mix
Indian Five Spice mix or Panch Phoran- A mix of five types of aromatic whole spices. You can find them in Indian grocery stores all over the world.
If you are not able to find it in stores you can make your own by mixing the following whole spices:
Fennel Seeds, Fenugreek Seeds, Nigella Seeds, Mustard Seeds and Cumin Seeds. Mix equal quantities of these and keep them in an airtight container. You can use this spice mix in many Indian dishes.
However, if for some reason you are not able to find any of these don't be disappointed. Use cumin seeds and make the Chutney. It won't be authentic but it will still taste delicious.
Can We store Tomato Chutney?
Absolutely. You can store it in an airtight container for two weeks.I would keep it in a fridge not a freezer and heat it for 1 minute if spreading seems difficult upon reuse.
What can we serve with Tomato Chutney?
Any type of Indian bread goes well with the chutney but it's not just limited to Indian bread. You can spread them on toast, bagels or any type of fruit.
It tastes delicious with rice too. I personally love them with any type of stuffed paratha.
You can try these with Tomato Chutney
Sattu Paratha,Baingan ka Chokha and Dhaniya ki Chutney
Dal Stuffed Paratha/Lentil stuffed Indian Flat Bread.
You can try this savory tomato Chutney as well.
New Recipes
Tangy & Sweet Tomato Chutney.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Ghee/Oil /Butter
- 500 Gms Tomato
- ½ Cup Jaggery
- 2 Dry Red Chillies
- 1 Bay Leaf
- Pinch of Asafoetida (Optional)
- ¼ Tsp Turmeric Powder
- ½ Tsp Red Chilli Powder
- ½ Tsp Dry Mango powder
- ¼ Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Indian Five Spice Or Panch Phoran
- ⅓ Cup Golden Raisin
Instructions
- Take a pan .Add Ghee/Oil to it .Heat it .
- When its hot .Add Panch Phoran /Indian Five Spice Mix to it.
- Add dry red chilli and bay leaf let them crackle.
- Add Raisin to it and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add sliced tomato ,turmeric and salt to it.
- Mix it nicely while stirring.
- Add chilli powder ,dry Mango powder now and stir it nicely for 1 minute on low flame ,
- You will notice that tomato is releasing water. Cover the pan with a lid and keep that for 2-3 minute on low flame.
- Add Jaggery/Sugar to it and mix nicely.
- Remove the lid and let it cook on 6-7 minute on slow /Medium flame .
- Once it reaches the consistency of chutney (little thick ,but still enough liquid to dunk the bread)Switch off the flame.
- Remove it from the stove. Store it only after it comes to room temperature.
- Keep it in the fridge foe 1 to 2 weeks.
- Enjoy.
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