no silly, not the animals…
the tomatoes!
and while i’m on the subject of tomatoes…
oh how i loved him (R.I.P)
he was so beautiful, inside and out.
ahem.
ok, so back to this curry pickle: i used zebras, who happen to be green even when they’re ripe. but, for this you want green – as in unripe – tomatoes. the fleshier the better. little zebras or any kind of paste tomato will work well.
curried green zebras
2 & 3/4 lbs green tomatoes, sliced no larger than 1/4 inch thick
1 medium white onion, sliced very thin
2 & 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
3 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 & 1/2 teaspoons curry powder *
1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled & thinly sliced
12 whole allspice berries
pint mason jars with 2-piece lids
yield: approximately 4 pints
day 1
1. place sliced tomatoes and onions in large bowl, gently toss with sea salt. cover lightly with kitchen towel, let stand for 8 hours or overnight.
day 2
1. prepare canning pot, jars & lids. no need to sterilize the jars as once filled they will be boiled 10 minutes.
2. drain the tomatoes and onion, rinse with cold water and drain once more.
3. place vinegar, sugar & curry powder in a non-reactive (stainless or enameled iron) pot and bring to the boil.
4. as soon as vinegar mixture reaches the boil, add tomatoes & onions.bring back to a simmer and let simmer, stirring gently, until all the vegetables are just heated through. approximately 2 minutes.
5. remove hot jars from the canning pot and place 3 allspice berries & 2 slices of ginger in each jar.
6. fill jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. hot water bath process for 10 minutes.
pawnote:
*i know i’m about to get all pilgrim on you – put please, unless you live right next to a well shopped authentic indian grocer, you must make your own curry powder. regular old store bought curry is heavy on the cheaper spices, and usually has been sitting so long that turmeric and chile are the only flavors left to flave. it’s best to make it in small batches and use within 3 months. trust me.
tigress can’ jam august: tomatoes – success!
crunchy, curried & slightly sweet. to me this is a classic canned pickle. a wonderful way to use up a glut (yes a glut!) of summer tomatoes. delicious on a grilled cheese, or any other sandwich in which the classic bread and butter is the norm. the curry & spices add a punch but don’t overpower. plus it looks so damn cute in a jar.
learning: had a little packing problem at first. make sure to scoot them in tightly before pouring in the brine to fill.
here:
curry powder
1/2 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
3 whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole black or brown mustard seeds
3/4 teaspoons turmeric
1/4 teaspoon chile powder (use half paprika, half chile if you want less heat)
yield: 3 tablespoons
1. place a dry skillet on medium heat – iron if you have it.
2. add whole spices only and heat just until they change color slightly. you will smell the most wonderful aroma – take off heat.
3. immediately add the turmeric and chile powder, stir. let sit until cool.
4. grind in an electric spice grinder. store in an airtight container for up to 3 months
and of course use in the wonderful pickle above!
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Homemade Curry and Heath. Loving!
WOW! I'm feeling rather dumb… I never knew curry wasn't a spice in itself (like cinnamon or nutmeg)… but is a combination of spices!! VERY INTERESTING INFO YOU BRING TO US! Thanks!
Green Zebras are my favourite heirloom tomato; I'm growing some this year. Maybe I'll try a mini batch…
Note to Melanie: Not to be confused with curry leaves: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry_Tree
Thanks sarahBHood, I'm going to do a little research now so I can get it straight as to what I have in my spice cupboard!!
nikki – thanks! i was all over that spring heath – it's the exact colors of my kitchen!
melanie – yes girl, get on up in your spice cupboard. and do yourself a favor, toss out any powder that's over a year old. it won't taste of much, and fresh spices make a world (literally)of difference on your plate. whole spices last much longer than powder, so always buy and store whole and grind when you need.
sarahbhood – make 'em!
Great curry recipe, we always blend our own, too. So much better that that yellow crap the store calls curry!
I made some curried pickled okra that turned out perfect for with indian dinners. You're tomatoes sound delicious!
I have a huge amount of unripe green zebras that i want to pickle with this recipe, thank you for sharing. one thing i am curious about is the small unripe tomatoes – will they be good pickled, maybe even whole? or do they need to be closer to full grown? i feel sad we have so many unripe tomatoes, it just was not a good year for them in the Pacific Northwest and we have lots to do something about!