Thakkali Thokku | How to make Tomato Thokku | Side dish for Idli

Tomato thokku is one of my favorite thokku from my childhood days till now. After the preparation I used to take a spoon and lick it always and my Mom used to scold me for that. This can be eaten with any kind of main dishes like Dosa, Idli, chappathi or even with rice or curd rice. I have a post already with Thakkali Thokku with different preparation style. Try this and let me know your comments.

How to make Thakkali Thokku

Preparation time: 15 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Yields: 350gms

Recipe Category: Sidedish | Recipe Cuisine: South Indian

 

Ingredients 

Ripe tomatoes - 1 kg

Dry red chillies - 7 to 8 (adjust according to spiciness of chillies)

Mustard seeds - 1/5 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 2 tsp

Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt as per taste

Gingelly Oil - 6 tbsp

Jaggery - 1.5 tbsp

Curry leaves - 2 springs

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Method

1. Take the tomatoes and wash them.

2. Cut then into small pieces as shown below. 

3. Fry the chilli till light brown or until they become crispy. ( When you try to break the chilli, it should break the chilli, it should break easily ). Keep it aside. 

4. Fry the fenugreek seeds till light brown.  If you smash it with a spoon it should break immediately.

5. Using a food processor powder the red chillies and fenugreek seeds. Keep it aside. 

6. In a pan or kadai, add the oil. When it is hit, add the mustard. When the mustard splutters, add the curry leaves together with asafoetida. 

7. Add the chopped tomatoes. Start cooking them without adding any water. 

8. When they are half cooked, add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. 

9. When the tomatoes are cooked nicely, add the powder which we made. Add 1 tsp first and after 5 min, check for the taste. If it is not bitter, add some more. 

10. Add the jaggery at this stage. This step is optional but thokku will taste great when you add jaggery.

11. Keep on sauting the tomatoes, till oil oozes out. 

12. Switch off the stove and transfer the content to an air tight container. 

Notes:

1. Adding jaggery increases the taste and if suppose your thokku is but spicy or bitter, it equalizes it.

2. Jaggery can be relaxed by sugar.

3. I sometimes dry fry 1/4 tsp mustard seeds and grind along with chili and fenugreek mixture. You can try, if you want. 

4. If your tomatoes are not tangy enough, you can add tamarind pulp as per the taste. 

5. Always use dry spoon to take the thokku. 

6. This can be kept for a month in fridge, if properly stored. 

7. Try to use gingelly oil ( nallennai), for better taste. 

Tags: Thakkali thokku, Thakkali oorugai, Tomato thokku, Thakali thokku, how to make Tomato thokku, how to make Thakkali thokku, side dish for idli

Mutton Biryani | How to make Mutton Briyani step by step | Sunday Special Recipes

Mutton Biryani or Lamb Biryani has become famous now a days in our home. I used to buy mutton in India, but after coming to Singapore, we do not get good mutton, near by our place and so stopped cooking mutton. But one of my friend suggested to buy mutton from Mustafa and tried it. It was soft and got cooked properly. So started buying from there, whenever we go for shopping. This Mutton Biryani I tried last week and it was perfect. Do try this at home and drop your comments.

Other Mutton Recipes for you to view....
Mutton Masala
Mutton Soup
Mutton Kola Urundai
Mutton Pepper Fry

How to make Mutton Biryani

Preparation time: 20 min (+2 hrs soaking time) | Cook Time: 30 min | Serves: 5

Recipe Category: Main | Recipe Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients

To Marinate
Mutton - 1/2 kg
Curd / Yogurt - 3 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/5 tsp
Biryani Masala - 1.5 tsp

To Temper
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon stick - 1
Cardomom - 1
Bay leaf - 1
Star Anise - 2

For Biryani
Basmathi rice - 3 cups
Onion - 2 (chopped lengthwise)
Tomato - 2
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1.5 tsp 
Green Chillies - 2 (slit into half - lengthwise)
Chilli powder - 1.5 tsp
Mint leaves - 1/4 cup 
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup 
Water - 5 cups (1.5 + 3.5)
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cashews - few (optional)
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Salt - as per taste

Method

1. Wash the mutton nicely with salt. This helps to remove the raw smell from the mutton. Add the salt, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, curd and biryani masala. (you can add garam masala also instead of biryani masala).

2. Soak the rice for 20min atleast.

3. Mix them nicely and marinate for 2 hrs for best result.

  4. In the pressure cooker or pan, add the oil and when it is hot, add the ingredients mentioned in To temper one by one and fry for a min, keeping flame in medium.

5. Add the onion and ginger garlic paste and saute, till the raw smell of ginger goes off.

 6. Add the green chillies, coriander leaves and the mint leaves. Saute them nicely.

7. Add the tomato.

 8. Saute them nicely, till tomatoes are mushy.

9. Add the marinated mutton pieces and add the salt and the chilli powder.

 10. Saute the mutton, for 3 min and then add the water (1.5 cups).

 11. Let it cook for 5 whistles. (see notes)

12. Add the remaining water and when boiling, add the soaked rice.

13. Again cook for another 10 min in low flame.

 14. Now open the lid, and slightly mix, the rice without breaking it.

15. Add the ghee and again mix it.

 16. Cover the lid and after 5 min, open and serve hot.

17. Yummy and delicious Mutton Biryani is ready to be served.

Notes:
1. While marinating, adding biryani masala, makes the mutton more tastier. Garam masala can be added instead.
2. Do not skip the step of marinating the mutton for a more tastier biryani.
3. While cooking mutton, the no. of whistles, depends on the cooker makes. If the mutton, not cooked, close the lid and cook again until the mutton becomes tender.
4. You can add fried onions before serving.

Tags: Mutton Biryani, Mutton Biryani step by step, how to make Mutton Biryani, Lamp Biryani, sunday special recipes, Mutton Briyani