Sopan's Sudden Tomato Pickle for when Friends Descend

Years ago, when I was part of a large family, with mom, aunts and bhabis to take care of the kitchen, I never could cook. I barely managed to make coffee and scrambled eggs, not even an omelette, which would always, most predictably, stick to the bottom of the pan and by the time it was on the plate it was more like a poor, burnt cousin of the "anda bhurji". But then I moved into my own quarters, living by myself, and that was when I realised that there was a cook lying dormant in me, waiting to find expression, waiting to feed friends. So if any of you is embarrassed or for that matter, even take pride in the fact that they can't cook, not to worry. The moment you're thrown into the deep end of the throes of single living, you will most definitely learn to rustle up a simple meal, if not a feast.

I am Saraswat Brahmin, orginally from the Karwar coast. (This is to identify my cuisine and not because I am a fanatical casteist.) And we are known as the fish-eating Brahmins. So you see, we started breaking rules way back in time. Saraswat cuisine is fairly simple to cook and good to eat. Couldn't resist the Maggi Noodles headline and in any case it is more valid here.

Though we are liberal with the use of grated coconut, we don't use much oil. Most of the vegetables are steamed cooked with just a little vagaar/seasoning and not sautéed or fried in generous quantities of oil. A dish most commonly cooked is called vegetable "ubha-curry" (vegetable can be cabbage or cauliflower or any other) - where "ubha" means steam. And as we all know, steam cooking retains not only the innate flavours of the vegetables but also the nutrients. Hey Nikhil (Aziz) aren't you impressed with this detail? Nikhil happens to be a fellow Saraswat or "amchi", and I hope he won't mind me outing him like this.

I hope I have not bored you guys with all these details you might find irrelevant.

Let's start with the recipe for a very simple dish. We can graduate to more elaborate preparations along the way. "Tomato Pickle". Though it is called a pickle it is infact a dish and not as pungent/spicy as an Indian achaar. A combination of sweet, spice and sour, it tickles every taste bud and can be cooked in a jiffy when hungry friends descend on you out of the blue.

TOMATO PICKLE

Ingredients :

1. Tomatoes - 1/2 kg
2. Mustard - 1/2 tsp.
3. Hing - 1/4 tsp.
4. Salt to taste
5. Red Chillies Pwd. 1/2 tsp depends on how teekha it is.
6. 3 tsp Sugar / Jaggery
7. Oil - 1 tbs.

Method :
1. Heat a tbsp. of oil in a pan. Allow it ot get real hot before you add Mustard & Hing. You may also add 1/2 tsp Jeera. When it splutters 
3. Add the chopped Tomatoes.
4. Add Chilli Powder, Sugar/Jaggery and Salt.
5. Cover it with a plate and put some water on the plate so that the steam inside the pan doesn't escape but condences and the tomatoes don't burn. Cook till it becomes a thick purée.

Have it with hot chapattis or bread. For now, try this out and the recipe for "prawn ghashi" will follow soon.

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