For most Indian mothers, food is their love language. They may not say “I love you” out loud, but you can feel it through their hearty chicken soup when you are sick or the unbidden plate of cut fruits while you are pulling an all-nighter before an exam.
Even on short notice, they can conjure up a tasty treat with a handful of humble ingredients. One such dish is my colleague’s tomato pachadi. I discovered it at an office potluck, where the homemade pachadi was served alongside trays of catered biryani.
Pachadi is a traditional South Indian condiment or side dish, typically paired with biryani and other spicy dishes to balance out the heat. It can take one of two forms: a yoghurt-based preparation similar to raita or a halwa-style fruit chutney with spoonfuls of ghee.
The chutney version is a staple in Tamil-Muslim households. “It’s something that I’ve always enjoyed as a child because it felt like a dessert,” said Ms Rose Amirah, 38, my colleague.
The candy-like sweetness made it the perfect accompaniment to the occasional roti jala or idiyappam that she would have for breakfast growing up. Beyond everyday meals, it also anchored every festive spread and wedding feast.
Her tomato pachadi is based on her late mother’s recipe, which has been passed down in her family through generations. It has a vibrant red hue, courtesy of a pinch of chilli powder and lots of ripened, juicy tomatoes.
“There is no water added. The liquid is all from the tomatoes, so that’s why it has to be juicy tomatoes,” she explained. There are no standardised measurements, as Ms Rose picked up the recipe by observation, as her mother was a woman of few words.
The best ratio is about a kilogram of tomatoes to two cups of sugar. You can reduce the amount of sugar if you prefer it less sweet. The first step is to mash up the tomatoes and reduce them in a saucepan with the sugar over a medium flame.
It takes around 45 minutes for the tomatoes to reach a jam-like consistency as the water evaporates. In a separate saucepan, heat up three tablespoons of ghee. Add to that several cardamom cloves, a cinnamon stick, and a few pieces of star anise.
Combine the tempered ghee with the sweetened tomato mixture, and the pachadi is ready! An important tip is to let the dish cool down completely before storing it in the refrigerator, where it can last up to a few weeks.
A fun aspect about heirloom recipes is that they’re never truly finished – every generation gets to add its own page to the story. For Ms Rose, her contribution is the incorporation of raisins and chopped cashews at the end for added crunch and texture.
“We need to appreciate and spend more time with our mothers while they’re still around, and try to learn more about our heritage so that we can pass it down to the next generation,” said Ms Rose.
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2 Apr 2026 20:06
