Try This Easy Tomato Chutney Recipe From Archana Pidathala’s ‘Five Morsels Of Love’

Name: Try This Easy Tomato Chutney Recipe From Archana Pidathala’s ‘Five Morsels Of Love’
Prep time: 20
Cook time: 40
Total time: 60
Ingredients: 0.5 tsp Fenugreek seeds; 4 tbsp Vegetable oil; 7 piece Quartered red tomatoes; 0.25 tsp Turmeric powder; 0 g Salt; 1 tsp Red chilli powder; 1 tbsp Vegetable oil; 0.5 tsp Mustard seeds; 0.5 tsp De-husked, split black gram; 0.5 tsp De-husked, split Bengal gram; 0.5 tsp Cumin seeds; 2 piece Dried red chillis, broken in half; 10 piece Fresh curry leaves; 10 piece Peeled garlic cloves; 2 tsp Powdered jaggery/sugar (optional)

Prepare this tomato chutney from Archana Pidathala's first cook book, Five Morsels of Love.

Contributed By

Aanchal Poddar

June 10, 2025

Author and cook Archana Pidathala’s first cookbook, Five Morsels of Love, is a tribute to her grandmother. It is an English translation of the Telugu cookbook Vanitha Vantakalu, which was written and published by Pidathala’s am mamma (the Telugu word for grandmother) in 1974.

“My grandmother’s last wish was to get her book published in English, and she asked me to fund it. This is my way to fulfil that wish and keep her memory alive,” said Pidathala in an exclusive conversation with Outlook Eats.

It is a collection of over 100 recipes that will help you understand the basics of an Andhra kitchen and bring you closer to perfecting the cuisine. Pidathala, who herself learnt how to cook while compiling and translating the book, expands and demystifies each recipe for her readers.

Five Morsels of Love by Archana Pidathala. @archanapidathala/instagram

We bring you recipe for a slow-cooked tomato chutney called Takkili Pandu Pachchadi’s from the Five Morsels of Love. The recipe allows tomatoes, an important ingredient in everyday cooking, to take centre stage, allowing them to express their wonderful flavour.

“Tomatoes grew in abundance in my ancestral village, Giddalur. My mother would always pack a box of perugannamu (yoghurt rice) and this stunning red relish for our mid-morning school snack during the blistering summer months,” reminisced Pidathala.

Quick Info

Prep Time 20 min

Cook Time 40 min

Total Time 60 min

Servings 5

Difficulty easy

Ingredients

Fenugreek seeds - 0.5 tsp
Vegetable oil - 4 tbsp
Quartered red tomatoes - 7 piece
Turmeric powder - 0.25 tsp
Salt - 0 g
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 0.5 tsp
De-husked, split black gram - 0.5 tsp
De-husked, split Bengal gram - 0.5 tsp
Cumin seeds - 0.5 tsp
Dried red chillis, broken in half - 2 piece
Fresh curry leaves - 10 piece
Peeled garlic cloves - 10 piece
Powdered jaggery/sugar (optional) - 2 tsp

Instructions

Step-1

Dry roast the fenugreek seeds in a small pan over medium heat till they turn a shade darker. Cool completely and pound to a fine powder in a mortar and pestle.

Step-2

Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over high heat and add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the turmeric powder and salt; mix well.

Step-3

Cover and cook the tomatoes for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now add the freshly ground fenugreek powder and red chilli powder and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Turn off the heat.

Step-4

To make the tempering, heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over high heat until very hot. Add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the rest of the tempering ingredients in quick succession.

Step-5

Fry for about 20 seconds, add the tomatoes and cook on medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Taste the chutney;if you find it too tart, add the powdered jaggery or sugar and mix well. Serve with rice or any flatbread.

Recipe