Tomato oorugaya

Step 1: Prepare the jar: wash jar and lid in hot soapy water, rinse well, then stand the jar upside down in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes (or boil jar and lid for 10 minutes and let them dry upside down). Let it cool completely; jar, lid, bowls and spoons must be bone dry, because a single drop of water is the usual reason a pickle goes mouldy.

Step 2: Wash the 2 ¼ lb ripe tomatoes and dry them completely. Cut out the stem ends and chop into small pieces.

Step 3: Put the tomatoes, 1 ¾ oz seedless tamarind, 3 tbsp salt and 1 tsp ground turmeric in a heavy, wide pan over a medium heat. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until the tomatoes collapse and the tamarind softens, about 20 minutes.

Step 4: Cool slightly and blend to a coarse paste (no water), then pick out any tamarind fibres.

Step 5: Dry-roast 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds and 1 tbsp mustard seeds in a small pan over a medium-low heat until the methi turns golden and the mustard starts to pop, about 2 minutes. Cool and grind to a fine powder.

Step 6: Heat ¾ cup gingelly (sesame) oil in the wide pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds; when it crackles, add 4 dried red chillies and 15 garlic cloves and fry until the garlic is pale gold at the edges, about 2 minutes.

Step 7: Turn the heat to low, stir in ½ tsp gluten-free asafoetida, then add the tomato paste carefully (it spits). Cook on a medium-low heat, stirring often and scraping the bottom, for 15–20 minutes, until thick, dark red and leaving the sides of the pan, with oil separating on top.

Step 8: Take off the heat, stir in 4 tbsp hot red chilli powder, the methi-mustard powder and 1 tbsp jaggery if using. Taste and add salt if needed; it should taste a bit too salty on its own.

Step 9: Cool completely, then spoon into the dry jar and press down so there are no air pockets; there should be a layer of oil on top. Keep in the fridge for up to 2 months, with a clean dry spoon every time. Discard if you see mould, fizzing or bulging lids, or it smells off.