Tomato Gojju (chutney)

          This recipe is one life saver for me and to most of us south Indians. It’s the most versatile recipe I ever came across. It can be used to mix with rice or can be used as an accompaniment for chapatti, dosas and idlis, or as a dip or as a side dish too.

          I never knew of this dish until my hubby started to travel. That’s when I came across this dish and got the recipe from 1 of my family friend. After many trial and errors, now I make it with some minor changes to suit our palette.

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: approx. 1 hour

Ingredients

Tomato 1 kg

Oil ½ cup

Curry leaves 2-3 springs

Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon

Cumin / jeera 1 teaspoon

Chana dal 1 teaspoon

Udad dal 1 teaspoon

Groundnuts a handful

Methi seeds 1 teaspoon

Saunf ½ teaspoon

Haldi – a pinch

Red chilli powder

Sambhar powder 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Little bit of jaggery

Grated ginger 1 tablespoon

Chopped green chillies 1 tablespoon

Hing

1. Wash nicely all tomatoes and pat dry all the moisture.
2. Remove the eye part (stalk) of the tomatoes and roughly chop them.
3. In a thick bottom pan or non-stick kadai, pour in the oil.
4. Add mustard seeds, after it starts to splutter, add cumin and curry leaves.
   
   
   
5. Then add the chana dal and udad dal along with groundnut. Fry till it changes its colour.
6. Add methi, saunf, hing.
7. Then add ginger and chillies, fry till they lose their raw flavor.
8. Add the tomatoes and roast a bit.
   
9. Add the salt so that it leaves moisture and it becomes easy to cook.
10. DON’T ADD WATER.
11. Add salt to taste, haldi, red chilli powder and sambhar masala powder. Mix well.
12. Cover and allow it to cook.
13. After the tomatoes are half done adjust the seasoning, and mash them with the back of the ladle so that it becomes mushy and paste like.
14. Add the jaggery.
    
15. Cook well till the oil floats at the top.
16. Allow it to cool before you store it in a clean glass bottle.
17. It can be stored in fridge for early 15-20 days.

Note:

• If you like you can finely chop the tomatoes or puree them.
• You can add red chilli powder according to your taste.
• You can increase or decrease the quantity of the dals and groundnut depending on your liking.
• You can avoid adding any of dals if you don’t like the taste, similar with saunf.
• DON’T ADD WATER. Then the chutney can't be stored for long.
• You can use refine oil or olive oil for this dish.
• The oil acts as preservative for this dish which helps in storage for long time.

Happy cooking :-)