Tomato Gojju

Tomato sweet-sour-spicy preparation — ripe tomatoes fried in sesame oil with mustard seeds, dried red chilli, and curry leaves until completely collapsed, then jaggery, tamarind extract, and a dry masala of roasted chana dal and sesame seeds added and the whole cooked down until the tomatoes dissolve into a thick, glossy, dark-red paste that holds its shape when spooned. The tomato's natural acidity combines with the added tamarind to produce a double-sour base that the jaggery sweetens without eliminating; the sesame seeds add nuttiness. Served in a small portion on the meal plate as an intensely flavoured condiment; a teaspoon mixed into rice with ghee is enough for a complete flavour experience. The tomato gojju is the most commonly made gojju in everyday Karnataka cooking — it is quick, uses available ingredients, and keeps for three to four days.