What is Tomato Achar (Pickle)?
Tomato achar is used as side dish in Nepal where tomatoes are abundant, specially on the southern part of the country. The vibrant color combination of red tomatoes, white garlic, and green chili makes it look very appetizing and goes well with Dal/Bhat/Tarakari which is the staple food. The long fermentation allows the probiotics to grow and multiply, and the nutrients in the vegetables to be easy to digest.
Here is my variation to the recipe to make Pickled Tomato:
- 2 pounds of cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 pounds of Green Chili
- 2 Heads of Garlic
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 cup ground mustard seeds
- Salt (to taste)
Cut tomatoes into vertically half sections. Peel and slit the garlic cloves into half. Dice green chilies into small diagonal circle. Mix all the ingredients well in a bowl. Now transfer the mix into pickling jar with air tight lid. Top off the achar with 1-2 tbsp oil before closing the lid to avoid the discoloration and fungus. Place the jar under direct sun light for about 3- 5 days (6-8 days in winter) for fermentation. Now the tomato pickle is ready to be served. Once the desired sourness is reached, keep it inside the refrigerator to avoid excessive fermentation.
