Drumstick Thokku (pickle) from Andhra

Contributed by Meenakshi Rajagopalan

Ingredients

1. Drumsticks 3 (chopped into 2inches batons)
2. Shallot onions (if not use the small onions) handfull
3. Tomatoes - desi ones will work better 4 or 5 medium size
4. Garlic - 8large pods
5. Red chillies for tadka
6. Mustard seeds for tadka
7. Gingelly oil / til oil half a cup
8. Sambar powder one spoon (if sambar powder is not there use dhaniya powder one spoon and red chilli powder one spoon and roasted methi powder 1/4th of a spoon)
9. Tamarind paste (take a lemon size tamarind and pulp it and make it into a paste)
10. Haldi half a spoon
11. Hing according to flavor
12. Lots of curry leaves
13. Make a smooth paste of tomatoes and garlic

Procedure

1. In a small cooker put tamarind paste, drumstick batons, haldi powder and salt.
2. Give two whistles.
3. Else cook the drumstick batons in a kadai. It should be firm and well cooked.
4. In another kadai take Gingelly/ til oil sputter mustard seeds.
5. Fry the chopped shallot onions till golden brown.
6. Add the tomato, garlic paste and the sambar powder and kadi patha/ curry leaves, once the raw smell of garlic goes away.
7. Add the drumstick batons and add salt accordingly.
8. Keep cooking till the oil separates.
9. Can be used as a side dish for idli, dosa, rice and roti
10. Can store and keep in the fridge for a week in an airtight container.