Hot and Spicy Hyderabadi Tomato Chutney : IHCC

"Relishes, Chutneys and Pickles" is our theme for this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), where we are currently cooking from Madhur Jaffrey's recipes. For this theme, I have decided to make Tomato Chutney, as I love eating tomato chutney with Indian breads. There are a number of different recipes, and decided to go for this hot and spicy chutney. 

I have used fresh tomatoes, about 5 big ones for this chutney. The tomatoes are peeled and seeds removed, the flesh are chopped to small pieces and are mixed with grated ginger, mashed garlic, turmeric powder, and chili powder. Recipe calls for cayenne powder but I used chilli powder for the spiciness.

This is really very simple and quick to cook. Just like most curries or chutneys, I let it sit for an hour after cooking, as I find that it tasted much better after the flavours of the spices have all infused together. This chutney is a little sour with a hint of spiciness, and really fragrant from the spices and garlic. I think that it would be even tastier if the tomatoes are fully ripe and sweet. 

After I have cooked this, I went out to get some Indian bread from the local Indian restaurant near my place.

I bought some Idli, my most favourite Indian bread of all time! Idlis are very good eaten with just about any curry. I have not made idli for ages, as it involves quite a bit of work, maybe next time round!

The idlis are great with this Tomato Chutney.  This is my lunch! Burp...!!!

To see my friends at IHCC dish for this week, you may visit them here. If you would like to join us in our cooking journey with Madhur Jaffrey, you may get the full details at IHCC's Welcome! page.

Hot and Spicy Hyderabadi Tomato Chutney
(source from : sparks recipes, "World of East Vegetarian Cooking" by Madhur Jaffrey)
1-3/4 cups peeled, seeded, chopped tomato (canned is OK)
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp well-mashed garlic pulp
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more) (I used chilli powder)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 whole dried hot red peppers
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Mix the tomatoes, ginger, garlic pulp (not the whole cloves), turmeric and cayenne in a bowl and mix.

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium. Add the garlic cloves, stir and fry until lightly brown. Add the cumin, mustard and fenugreek. Let sizzle for a couple seconds and add the red peppers. They should puff up and darken. Add the tomato mixture (it could splatter when it hits the hot oil). Stir and cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced. You should have about 3/4 cup of chutney.

Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.