Green Tomato Pickle
A classic bright yellow country preserve made from tart green tomatoes, sweet onions, warm curry spices, and tangy mustard.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 95 kcal
Equipment
- •Large glass bowl
- •Colander
- •Heavy-based saucepan
- •Wooden spoon
- •Sterilised glass jars with lids
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 95 kcal
- fat
- 0.3 g
- carbs
- 22 g
- fibre
- 1.5 g
- protein
- 1 g
- calories
- 95 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place diced green tomatoes and onions into a large glass bowl and toss thoroughly with coarse salt.
- 2
Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to stand at room temperature overnight.
- 3
Drain the salted vegetables in a colander, rinsing briefly under cold running water to remove excess salt.
- 4
Transfer drained vegetables into a large heavy-based saucepan with 400 ml of vinegar, sugar, and mustard seeds.
- 5
Bring mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
- 6
Reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the tomatoes become tender but still hold their shape.
- 7
Blend cornflour, mustard powder, curry powder, and turmeric with the remaining 100 ml of vinegar until smooth.
- 8
Pour spice paste into the simmering saucepan, stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
- 9
Simmer for another 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns glossy and bright yellow.
- 10
Ladle hot pickle into warm sterilised jars, leaving a 1 cm headspace, then seal tightly with lids.
Chef's tips
Do not skip the overnight salting step, as this draws out excess moisture and prevents a watery pickle. Keep the simmer gentle so the tomato pieces hold their shape instead of turning to mush. Let the sealed jars mature in a cool, dark cupboard for at least two weeks before opening to allow the tangy flavours to mellow.
Ingredient substitutions
- malt vinegar → apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- caster sugar → raw sugar or brown sugar
Storage
Store unopened sterilised jars in a cool, dark pantry for up to 12 months, and refrigerate after opening for up to 2 months.
Reheating
This condiment is traditionally served cold or at room temperature directly from the jar.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using semi-ripe red tomatoes, which turn soft and collapse during boiling.
- •Skipping the water rinse after salting, resulting in an overly salty pickle.
- •Boiling too vigorously after adding the spice paste, which can scorch the bottom of the pan.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Green Tomato Pickle?
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