# What do other cultures do with green tomatoes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [November 4, 2019, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976 "2019-11-04T03:55:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/1 "2019-11-04T03:55:24Z")
Made some fried green tomatoes tonight, and a round of green tomato/bacon pasta sauce last week, but still have several pounds of fresh green tomatoes left to use up (plus another few pounds in the freezer left from last year - it was a bumper year). Fried green tomatoes are tasty, but I don’t want to eat them all the time. Any tomato-growing culture should have recipes for green tomatoes, right? Bring 'em on! ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/2 "2019-11-04T04:21:20Z")
I recently tried a (commercially produced) pickled green tomato wedge, with a touch of jalapeño in the mix. Wasn’t really my thing, but apart from the occasional fried green, I prefer my tomatoes in ketchup or salsa. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/3 "2019-11-04T04:41:47Z")
…I honestly thought that green tomatoes were just something invented for that movie 🙂 But googling “green tomatoes nz” shows that green tomatoes are used mainly down-under almost exclusively in relishes, chutneys, pickles and jams. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/4 "2019-11-04T05:11:35Z")
In Spain we wait for them to become red tomatoes, or _entreverados_ (particolored, very good for a salad)… or are they a variety that never does? Are they good in a salad? Sorry, I hear “tomato” and think “wedges of, with tuna and a dash of salt and oil and maybe hard-boiled egg”. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/5 "2019-11-04T07:47:09Z")
Cape Malay cooking uses them in atchar (pickle) and chutney. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/6 "2019-11-04T09:42:24Z")
What’s the deal with picking and consuming tomatoes before they’re ripe? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/7 "2019-11-04T09:52:55Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > What’s the deal with picking and consuming tomatoes before they’re ripe? Different flavour and texture. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/8 "2019-11-04T10:09:30Z")
Also, a way to use up tomatoes that don’t ripen before frost sets in. ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/9 "2019-11-04T10:15:55Z")
Not helpful for using up huge quantities; but I have a recipe which I consider superb, from Guatemala, for spicy chicken stew which is pronouncedly green in colour. It features an assortment of vegetable / herb ingredients which are green; including, for a quantity to serve four people, two to three green tomatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/10 "2019-11-04T12:40:20Z")
My relatives make lots of piccalilli with their green tomatoes. It’s delicious, so if you don’t mind canning, you could look for New England piccalilli recipes. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/11 "2019-11-04T13:30:11Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Also, a way to use up tomatoes that don’t ripen before frost sets in. Yep, last year I think we had 40 lbs. of them! Too many for 2 people to wait to ripen before they went bad. We chucked a bunch of them in the freezer, and some are still there. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/12 "2019-11-04T13:31:20Z")
> [@Sangahyando](#): > > Not helpful for using up huge quantities; but I have a recipe which I consider superb, from Guatemala, for spicy chicken stew which is pronouncedly green in colour. It features an assortment of vegetable / herb ingredients which are green; including, for a quantity to serve four people, two to three green tomatoes. Ooh, please share the recipe! (Or let me know what it’s called so I can Google it - Spanish is fine). ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/13 "2019-11-04T13:32:53Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > In Spain we wait for them to become red tomatoes, or _entreverados_ (particolored, very good for a salad)… or are they a variety that never does? Are they good in a salad? Sorry, I hear “tomato” and think “wedges of, with tuna and a dash of salt and oil and maybe hard-boiled egg”. We just have too many to use up that way - they will start to spoil before they ripen. (Also, we’re not big salad eaters.) ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/14 "2019-11-04T14:02:37Z")
I made these [Pickled Green Bourbon Tomatoes](https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2014/10/pickled-green-tomatoes.html) a year or so ago. Very good I think. Says they keep a week or two in the refrigerator, but mine are still good after more than a year. No canner needed. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/15 "2019-11-04T14:27:17Z")
Pickle and can ‘em is what we’ve always done. They sell them in quantity at the Polish supermarket a couple times a year. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/16 "2019-11-04T14:33:44Z")
I’ve also made [this hot dog relish](https://www.food.com/recipe/green-tomato-relish-hot-dog-relish-70538) a few times and it’s fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/17 "2019-11-04T14:44:59Z")
India has a zillion cuisines, so it has a zillion versions of green tomato chutney and green tomato pickle. A green tomato chutney recipe, made in Andhra Pradesh style: [Green tomato chutney (Indian style) - Swasthi's Recipes](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/raw-green-tomato-chutney-andhra-raw-tomato-pachadi/) A Konkani green tomato pickle recipe: [Green Tomato Pickle - Aayis Recipes](http://www.aayisrecipes.com/pickles-and-powders/green-tomato-pickle/) ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/18 "2019-11-05T00:09:56Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > or are they a variety that never does? No… just tomatoes picked before they taste good. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/19 "2019-11-05T00:19:46Z")
Ripe tomatoes are what God serves at the banquets in Heaven, but yes, unfortunately, there are always a bunch at the end of the season that won’t get a chance to reach that level of perfection. You _can_ let them ripen after picking them green, but at that point, they’re little better than the tomato-shaped objects you can get at the grocery store. My family makes them into relish. And while our green tomato relish isn’t as good as real, fresh, ripe tomatoes, it’s still very good. It can be used on a hot dog, of course, but it’s also very good in a grilled cheese sandwich, and I’ve also had good results from tossing a tablespoon or so into a pot of spaghetti sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976/20 "2019-11-05T09:40:31Z")
> [@Eva\_Luna](#): > > Ooh, please share the recipe! (Or let me know what it’s called so I can Google it - Spanish is fine). “Jocon – Guatemalan Herbal Chicken” From a British cookery book: thus, in British terms. A 4-pound (weight) chicken 4 tablespoons corn oil 2 - 4 garlic cloves, chopped 6 - 8 spring onions (scallions), bulbs and leaves, chopped 4 - 6 leaves spinach, chopped Half a bulb of fennel, chopped 2 sticks celery, chopped 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped 2 - 3 green tomatoes, finely chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) 2 - 4 fresh green cayenne chillies salt SPICES – roasted and ground: 8 green cardamom pods 1 teaspoon coriander seeds (in America, are these called “cilantro seeds” – or coriander?) 1 teaspoon seeds from any chillies GARNISH whole fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves whole chives chilli powder Quarter the chicken, skin and clean it. Put it, and its liver, neck and giblets, into a large casserole dish. Add 1 pint boiling water and place in an oven preheated to 375 degrees F / 190 degrees C / gas mark 5. During this stage, heat the oil in the frying pan. Stir-fry the spices for 30 seconds. Add the garlic and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds, then add the spring onions (scallions) and stir-fry for about 10 minutes. As soon as this mixture is ready, pulse it in a blender or food processor along with the other ingredients, using enough water to achieve a runny paste. Stir-fry this paste for about 5 minutes. Then, when the casserole has cooked for about 20 minutes, add the paste to the casserole. Return the casserole to the oven for a further 30 minutes, inspecting it about halfway through the cooking time and adding a little water if needed. Add salt to taste. Serve the chicken on the bone, garnished with the whole fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves and chives and a sprinkling of chilli powder. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-other-cultures-do-with-green-tomatoes/842976.md?page=2)