Tamatar ki Chutney (Hyderabadi)टमाटर की चटनी

Name: Tamatar ki Chutney (Hyderabadi)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Hyderabadi
Ingredients: 4 ripe medium tomatoes; 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped; 2 green chillies; 1 tsp red chilli powder; 1/4 tsp turmeric powder; 1 tsp, grated jaggery; 1 tsp tamarind extract (optional, for extra tang); 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds (til); 1 tsp mustard seeds; 1/2 tsp cumin seeds; 10 fresh curry leaves; 3 dried red chillies; 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing); 2 tbsp neutral oil; 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped; to taste salt

⏱ Prep 10m🍳 Cook 20m🍽 Serves 6🌿 Vegan

Video: Kabita's Kitchen (YouTube)

Hyderabadi Tamatar ki Chutney is fire-charred tomatoes ground with a bold tempering of mustard, curry leaves and dried chillies — a quick, punchy condiment that goes with everything from biryani to plain roti. The trick is to char the tomatoes directly over the flame first, which adds a gentle smokiness that balances the acidity. A tiny amount of jaggery ties the flavours together. It takes fifteen minutes and tastes like something a grandmother spent an hour over.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

▪ripe medium tomatoes4
▪garlic cloves, roughly chopped4
▪green chillies2
▪red chilli powder1 tsp
▪turmeric powder1/4 tsp
▪jaggery1 tsp, grated
▪tamarind extract (optional, for extra tang)1 tsp
▪roasted sesame seeds (til)1 tbsp
For the tempering
▪mustard seeds1 tsp
▪cumin seeds1/2 tsp
▪curry leaves10 fresh
▪dried red chillies3
▪asafoetida (hing)1/4 tsp
▪neutral oil2 tbsp
▪fresh coriander, chopped2 tbsp
▪saltto taste

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Charring over a gas flame: the easiest way for the smokiness. On electric or induction hobs, roast in a dry cast-iron skillet over maximum heat until the skin blackens. A blowtorch also works well. Without any charring, the chutney is still good — just milder and lacking the smoky note.
Asafoetida (hing): its sharp, sulphurous kick mellows into a gentle oniony depth in the finished chutney. Omit if unavailable — the dish still works, though a small extra pinch of garlic helps compensate. Hing is standard at any South Asian grocery store.
Jaggery: an equal amount of dark brown sugar or palm sugar substitutes well. The quantity is small (balance, not sweetness), so do not skip the sweetener entirely — it tames the tomato acidity.

Method

1Char the tomatoes: place whole tomatoes directly over a medium gas flame, turning with tongs every 30 seconds until the skin is fully blackened and the tomato collapses slightly — about 4–5 minutes per tomato. Alternatively, roast under a high broiler for 10–12 minutes, turning once. Cool, then peel off the charred skin; roughly chop the flesh, retaining all the juices.
2Heat oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds; once they pop, add cumin, curry leaves, dried red chillies and asafoetida — the tempering will crackle and colour quickly.
3Add garlic and green chillies; sauté for 1 minute until just golden.
4Add the charred tomatoes along with their juices; increase heat to high and cook, stirring frequently, for 8–10 minutes until the mixture thickens and the oil begins to surface at the edges.
5Add red chilli powder, turmeric, salt, jaggery and tamarind extract (if using); stir and cook for 2–3 more minutes. The chutney should be jam-like but still spreadable.
6Remove from heat; stir in sesame seeds and fresh coriander. Cool slightly before serving — the flavour rounds out as it cools. Keeps refrigerated for 4–5 days.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.