asafoetida

Though mango and lime pickles are easy to find on the shelves of Indian grocery stores, home cooks in India pickle all varieties of fruits and vegetables, including tomato. India’s pickle queen, Usha Prabakaran, documented this tomato pickle, flavored with a generous amount of fennel seeds. It’s capable of adding flavor and heat to breakfast, lunch or dinner. Asafoetida has a pungent smell out of the jar, but mellows as it cooks and gives the pickle its personality — don’t skip it!

Tomato and Fennel-Seed Pickle

peanut oil

fennel seeds

asafoetida powder

black mustard seeds

sour or unripe Roma tomatoes (about 5), roughly chopped

tamarind juice (see Note)

red chile powder, paprika

turmeric

salt

white vinegar

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil over medium. When the oil is hot, add the fennel seeds and asafoetida and lightly toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and grind into a powder using a food processor or mortar and pestle.

In the same pan over medium heat, add another tablespoon of peanut oil and the mustard seeds and give them a minute to crackle and pop. Add the tomatoes and stir-fry for a few minutes until tomatoes begin to soften, then scrape out into a bowl.

Heat another tablespoon of oil in the same pan; pour in the tamarind juice and bring to a boil. Let it simmer until it thickens, about 2 minutes, then stir in the tomato, toasted seed mixture, chile powder, turmeric, salt, vinegar and remaining peanut oil. Continue cooking for a few minutes until the mixture becomes jamlike and the oil separates.

Transfer mixture to a jar and cool completely. Once cool, the pickle is ready to eat, and lasts for three months in the fridge. Serve a spoonful alongside rice and yogurt, flatbread, vegetables or any other foods.

Serve this vegetarian dish made with Indian cheese, paneer, as part of a curry night or with rice as a midweek supper

Paneer with broccoli & sesame

sprouting broccoli

vegetable oil

tsp cumin seed

sesame seeds

green chilli

brown mustard seeds

curry leaves

onion

paneer cheese,

tbsp grated ginger

garlic

lemon juice

½ tsp ground mace

Trim the broccoli and boil or steam for 5-6 mins until tender but firm to the bite. Drain and cool under cold running water. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, then add the asafoetida, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, chilli, mustard seeds and the curry leaves. Cook for 1 min until fragrant, then add the onion and cook another 2 mins.

Throw in the paneer, ginger and garlic, and season. Cook on a medium heat for 4-5 mins until the paneer turns golden. Add the broccoli and mix through the paneer and spices, then add lemon juice, mace and twist of pepper.

Swati's mum's dhal

Split yellow lentils (Main)

Water

Tbsp Ghee, or butter

Cumin seeds

tsp Asafoetida, see above

Garlic cloves, finely grated

Ginger,

tsp Turmeric

Ghee, butter

tsp Asafoetida

Onion, finely sliced

chilli,

Tomato, finely diced

tsp Garam masala

Chilli powder

Coriander

In a large pot cook the lentils in the 6 cups of water for 25-30 minutes.

Heat 2 Tbsp ghee in a fry pan; add the cumin seeds, cooking till they pop.

Add the asafoetida, when it has dissolved quickly add the garlic and ginger, stirring till cooked out. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Add this mixture to the cooked lentils, along with the turmeric. Simmer till thick.

While the dhal is cooking, temper the flavours to add to the dhal.

In another pan, heat the remaining ghee (or butter); add the cumin seeds and asafoetida.

Next add the onion and chillies, cook until soft and golden, then add the tomato.

Add the garam masala, chilli powder and turmeric and cook until the mixture is semi dried.

Add the tempering mixture to the dhal and adjust seasoning before serving. Garnish with coriander.

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Tomato and Fennel-Seed Pickle

Paneer with broccoli & sesame

Swati's mum's dhal

Top 3 asafoetida recipes from across the web

The most viewed asafoetida recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Tomato and Fennel-Seed Pickle

Paneer with broccoli & sesame

Swati's mum's dhal

The most viewed asafoetida recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine