Instant roasted tomato pickle (tomato pachadi)

Drizzle oil over each piece of tomato and sprinkle with salt; roast in a 350F preheated oven for 50 minutes (or fry on the stove over medium-high until slightly browned).

Cool, then puree the tomatoes with their skins in a blender to a smooth paste.

Heat a liberal amount of oil; set aside about a third of a cup of it. Lower the heat to low and add the cumin, fenugreek and black mustard seeds; the oil should be hot enough for them to crackle without burning.

Add 10 to 12 curry leaves, carefully, as they splatter.

Slowly add the tomato puree, then the turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder and garlic, with the asafoetida.

Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the sugar.

Partly cover and cook on very low heat, stirring from time to time, 20 to 25 minutes or more, until thick and jelly-like with the oil floating on top.

Switch off the heat and add about 2 tablespoons of vinegar; taste and adjust the seasoning, and cool completely.

Pack into a clean airtight jar and pour the saved oil over so about a quarter inch of oil covers the surface.

Use a clean, dry spoon. Keeps about a month at room temperature, 3 to 4 months refrigerated.