tomato ketchup or tomato sauce | how to make tomato ketchup recipe

tomato ketchup or tomato sauce recipe – homemade ketchup made from fresh tomatoes. a sauce which only has tomatoes and tomatoes.

recently when we had got a well known indian brand of tomato sauce, we found the taste some what off and pasty. i was thinking whats with this tomato ketchup. it was like less tomatoes and more like a sugar syrup. thats when i decided to make homemade tomato sauce.

so the next week, i got 3 kilos of organic tomatoes and then made the ketchup from 2.5 kgs from them. now there is a world of difference in the taste, flavor and aroma of this homemade tomato ketchup and the readymade one. the homemade ketchup sauce is full of tomato goodness. no pastiness, no sugary taste…. there is tang of the tomatoes and the texture is rich with tomatoes.

later, after i made the sauce, then i read a article here on the reduction in tomato paste by the leading brands.

the tomato ketchup recipe has been adapted from my home science notes. this quite a different recipe and includes ginger, garlic and dry red chilies. the red chilies give a gentle touch of heat in the sauce. the hotness and smokiness is felt first strongly when the sauce is freshly simmered. but as the sauce ages and mellows, the hotness and smokiness become very subtle. if you just taste the sauce directly you might feel it. but when you have the sauce with a snack or any accompaniment, you won't feel the subtlety.

raisins are also added in this sauce, hence you need to use less sugar. i have used organic unrefined cane sugar in the sauce.

there is a preservative added to the sauce – sodium benzoate so that its shelf life is more. i have also sterilized the canning jar. 2.5 kg tomatoes yielded 1 litre tomato ketchup. the sauce will stay nicely for about 6 months. but its so good, that there is every probability that it will get over soon.

you can halve the recipe and make 1/2 litre without a preservative too. but make sure to sterilize the jar properly.

lets start step by step tomato sauce or tomato ketchup recipe:

1. rinse the tomatoes in water and then drain them. use fresh ripe tomatoes.

2. chop them roughly. remove the skin or parts which are blemished or spotted.

3. now in a large casserole or pot or a 4 to 5 litre pressure cooker, add the chopped tomatoes.

4. add the chopped ginger, garlic, raisins and halved dry red chilies.

5. pour vinegar.

6. add sugar.

7. i kept the cooker on low flame. stirred very well and below is the result after 9 mins. you don't need to add any water.

8. simmer and cook the tomatoes, till they are softened. the tomatoes have got softened after a total of 27 mins. the timing will vary and depends on the pan you use, the intensity of the flame etc.

9. when the mixture is slightly hot or warm,  then using an immersion blender, make a nice smooth puree of everything. you can also make the puree in an electric blender. make sure to puree very well. if the puree is done coarsely, its a pain to strain the pulp.

10. using a not so fine strainer which will allow the tomato puree to pass through, strain the puree with the help of a spoon.

11. again an important step. you have to really keep on mashing the pulp with the spoon, so that all the puree is drained. the pulp mixture should be somewhat dry and not moist. the leftover pulp below. straining the puree in batches is a time consuming task and depends on the size of the strainer you have

12. the pan of collected tomato goodness. ready to be made in ketchup.

13. now keep the pan on stove top. allow to simmer for 5 to 6 minutes. check the taste and add more sugar if required. i had to add some sugar. you can also add sugar towards the end once the tomato sauce has thickened.

14. still simmering…

15.after 20 minutes and the tomato ketchup is thickening.

16. done and thickened to the right consistency after a total of 40 mins right from the time the pan was kept on the stove top. keep on stirring often. you can thicken it more if you want. after cooling, the sauce thickens a bit, so keep that in mind too.

17. how to check the doneness, spread the sauce on a plate. there should be no water droplets from the sides. you can see a slight separation happening. this is alright. but if you want a thick ketchup sauce like the readymade ones, then you have to cook more till the ketchup coats a spoon and remains like that.

18. a jar is already sterilized and and kept aside. (how to sterilize is mentioned in the recipe details). do this before you start making the ketchup…. yup made in italy

19. dissolve 1/4 tsp of sodium benzoate with hot water in a small bowl…. sodium benzoate made in india

20. add this sodium benzoate mixture to the hot tomato kethchup.

21. stir very well.

22. pour the hot ketchup in the sterilized jar keeping half to one inch space on top.

cover tightly and keep the tomato ketchup at room temperature till it cools or for a whole day. then refrigerate it and you can serve the tomato ketchup after 1 or 2 days.

tomato sauce or tomato ketchup recipe below:

tomato ketchup recipe – makes 1 litre tomato ketchup

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

Author: dassana

Recipe type: side

Cuisine: world

• 2.5 kg or approx 5.4 lbs tomatoes
• 3 to 4 grams garlic – 15 to 16 medium garlic cloves
• 3 to 4 grams ginger – 3 pieces of about 3 inch ginger
• 5 to 7 dry red chilies – deseeded and halved
• ½ cup golden raisins
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 tbsp rock salt
• 6 to 7 tbsp organic unrefined cane sugar
• ¼ tsp sodium benzoate dissolved in 1 tsp hot water

1. rinse the tomatoes well in water.
2. slice the top eye parts of the tomatoes. roughly chop the tomatoes.
3. discard spotted parts or peels.
4. peel and rinse the garlic, ginger. later roughly chop them.
5. halve and deseed the dry red chilies.
6. rinse the raisins and keep aside.
7. in a huge pot or casserole or a 4 to 5 litre pressure cooker, take all the chopped tomatoes.
8. add the ginger, garlic, red chilies, raisins, vinegar, salt and sugar.
9. mix well and keep the pot or cooker on a low to medium flame on the stove top.
10. keep on stirring at intervals.
11. when the tomatoes soften, switch off the fire. the softening takes about 25 to 27 minutes.
12. when the mixture is slightly hot or warm, blend the puree with an immersion blender or in a regular blender. if using a regular blender, then don't add too hot of the tomato mixture.
13. make a smooth puree.
14. with a strainer which is not very fine, strain the puree very well directly into a pot or a large sauce pan.
15. strain very well.
16. now you can sterilize the jar.
17. first rinse the jar.
18. in a large sauce pan heat water till it reaches its boiling point… meaning it has begun to boil.
19. immerse the jar and its lid in the hot water.
20. continue to boil the water along with jar for 7 to 10 minutes.
21. remove the jar with the help of clean tongs and place the jar inverted on a thick towel kept on the kitchen tabletop.
22. let the jar dry naturally.
23. keep the pot or pan with the strained tomato pulp on the stove top,
24. on a low to medium flame, simmer the pulp till it starts thickening and reaches a ketchup like consistency. takes about 35 to 40 minutes.
25. heat 1 tsp of water in a small bowl.
26. add ¼ tsp of sodium benzoate to the hot water.
27. stir and dissolve the sodium benzoate.
28. pour the sodium benzoate solution to the hot tomato ketchup.
29. stir very well.
30. pour the hot tomato ketchup in the sterilized jar.
31. close tightly with the lid.
32. let the ketchup cool and be kept aside for some hours or a day.
33. then keep in the refrigerator and use after 1 or 2 days.
34. serve tomato ketchup with any snack or appetizer.

3.2.2265

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Sausage Bean Soup Warms You Up

The minute the weather gets chilly I crave making big pots of soup.  In all honesty, I could probably eat soup five times a week in the fall and winter.  With my family's busy schedule I tend to make a big pot of soup once a week and there are plenty of leftovers for our nights on the run.  We're usually running from one place to another quite often so it's comforting to know I can have dinner pulled from the fridge and heated up in minutes.

When I cook soup, I often make two batches. One goes in the freezer and the other stays in the refrigerator. This hearty soup contains meat, beans and veggies so it is a hearty meal. It can be served with a loaf of bread or English muffins on the side and everyone is happy. If I feel ambitious enough, I might even make grilled cheese to go with it. But I really don't think it is necessary.

While this meal is simple to make, it does take some time. But it's the type of cooking you do when you are working from home, doing laundry or cleaning the house. Once it is in the pot it doesn't require too much love. Just stir every 20 minutes or so and it cooks itself. Just make sure to keep it on low as you don't want the bottom of your pot to burn. 

I used smoked turkey kielbasa in this recipe but you could use any type of smoked sausage. You can even leave the meat out to make it a vegetarian meal. Just remember to replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.

I have soup on my agenda quite often.  I know I will be making Potato Leek Soup, Tomato Soup with Rice and Spinach and  Slow Cooker chicken tortilla Soup in my near future.

What's your favorite kind of soup?

Sausage Bean Soup Recipe

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Ingredients

• 16 ounces mixed dried beans
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup carrot, chopped
• 12 ounces smoked sausage
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 8-10 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• extra water, if necessary
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Soak dried beans in a pot of water overnight. Rinse and drain in a colander before using.
2. In a large soup pot, heat oil on medium heat and saute onions, celery, and carrots for 10 minutes or until soft.  
3. Add smoked sausage and cook for another few minutes. Add thyme, broth, tomato paste and beans.  Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours making sure to stir occasionally.
4. Add extra water if necessary if soup becomes too thick. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste. 

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Winter Party Recipe: Fish House Punch — The 10-Minute Happy Hour

Fish House Punch is a famous tipple dating back to 1732. I first came upon it in Dave Wondrich's book Punch, and was recently offered a cup at a New Year's Day celebration. When I asked the bartender what was in it, he replied, "What isn't in it?"

With thoughts of Long Island iced tea whirling through my mind, I hesitantly raised the glass to my lips. To my surprise this cup of punch was strong, but balanced and warmed me right to the core; a lovely treat on a 12-degree day.

Fish House Punch dates back to the early 1700's, where it was created for a gentlemen's club that was technically named The State in Schuylkill Fishing Club, but was more widely known as simply the Fish House. It is even said that George Washington imbibed in this popular punch. Winters were rough and summers just as much so back in colonial times, so it's no wonder that Fish House Punch was a popular cure-all and a festive man's indulgence.

These days it's a great way to warm up a wintry happy hour in no time. Lots of you may still be digging out from that last winter blast, and with news of another Nor'easter on the way, I thought a big batch of Fish House Punch was in order to warm you up for the weekend. Call your friends and break out your pitcher or punch bowl for a throwback drink you'll be glad you revisited.

Fish House Punch

Serves 20

1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
6 cups water
1 quart of lemon juice
2 quarts dark rum
1 quart VSOP Cognac
1/2 cup of peach brandy
Chilled club soda or Champagne to top
Ice ring or block

In a large punch bowl, combine the sugar and enough water to dissolve. Stir until dissolved. Then add the lemon juice, rum, Cognac, and brandy and stir to combine. Add the ice and top with the club soda or Champagne just before serving.

Recipe Notes

• As you can imagine over the past 250 years there have been many versions of this recipe floating around. Feel free to make substitutions, like swapping the Cognac with Rye, and mix up your own take on Fish House Punch.

(Image credits: Maureen Petrosky)

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Healthy Dip Recipe: French Onion Dip with Caramelized Onions & Greek Yogurt — Recipes from The Kitchn

While I probably won't be watching the Big Game this weekend, I'm not immune to the fact that this means we're heading into prime chip and dip season. In honor of this, I'm excited to rescue and rethink a once famous and now somewhat neglected dip from my childhood: The French Onion Soup Dip.

This is my new take on this iconic dip, which substitutes Greek yogurt for the mayo and sour cream and swaps in real onions and other aromatics for the somewhat questionable ingredients in that packet of dried French onion soup.

The classic French onion soup dip recipe from my childhood involved folding a packet of dried soup mix (either Knorr or Lipton) into a container of sour cream. You might have gotten a little fancy and added in a few dollops Hellman's Mayo, but basically that was it. It was usually served with potato chips although occasionally, if someone was on a diet, a few spears of carrots and celery would make an appearance. Oh, the good old days!

What made the dip so popular (besides the ease of preparation) was the irresistible combination of the creamy sour cream and mayo base with the sweet and salty onion soup mix, which was super concentrated since its original purpose was to be diluted into a soup. Of course the whole thing was punched up with MSG to make a potent umami + fat flavor bomb.

Fast forward to today and I'm not really into the mostly sodium and chemical mix that makes up dried soup mixes. Nor am I interested in hoovering up a bowl of sour cream and mayonnaise, especially with potato chips. So I decided to deconstruct the recipe and rebuild it into something more in keeping with today's tastes.

Finding a replacement for the sour cream base was easy. Delicious, tangy greek yogurt offers a more healthful but equally thick and creamy texture. It adds richness as well as a little tang. I used a local whole milk brand (Straus Whole Milk Greek-Style Yogurt) but it's your choice as to whether you use a lower fat (or no fat) version. Just be sure it's plain, not flavored!

The substitute for the onion soup mix was a little more complicated but not overly so. French onion soup is basically caramelized onions, which makes up the majority of the flavor, so I visited Emma's tutorial on How To Caramelize Onions to brush up on the technique. Note: For this recipe, the onions are chopped fine so they will cook faster (and have a greater potential to burn) than larger slices of onions. I highly recommend having a little water or wine on hand to splash into the pan if the onions start to scorch.

Instead of MSG and "beef stock," I used Worcestershire sauce, homemade celery salt (this recipe!), a touch of garlic, and black pepper. This combination, along with the onions, gave the dip rich, savory flavor with a touch of sweetness.

I wanted one more note, one more flavor to complete the profile. I liked the hint of green, vegetal flavor from the celery salt but it needed more. Chopped parsley would be nice, but fresh thyme called out to me. So I stripped a few springs worth into the onion mixture as it was cooling and gave it a taste. Although it's a slight departure from the original flavor profile, I really liked the bright herby notes the thyme brings. Perfect!

French Onion Dip with Caramelized Onions and Greek Yogurt

Makes about 3 cups

1/4 cup oil (olive or canola or rice bran)
4 medium yellow onions, finely chopped (about 4 cups)
Pinch of salt
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
2 cups plain Greek-style yogurt (either no-, low-, or full-fat)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt (either table salt orhomemade celery salt) or to taste

Add the oil and onions along with a big pinch of salt to a large sauté pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onions caramelize into a deep brown color. This may take 15 minutes or more. You may need to add a splash of water or wine towards the end if the onions begin to burn.

When the onions are done, add the minced garlic and stir for several seconds until you can smell the garlic. Turn off the heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Strip the leaves from the two sprigs of thyme and add to the onions. Let cool.

In a bowl, mix the cooled onions and the yogurt until blended. Stir in several turns of freshly ground black pepper. Taste for salt. If you are serving this with salted chips, be sure to use one for your final tasting so you can adjust accordingly.

Serve garnished with a sprig of thyme and surrounded by your dippers of choice (see below). This dip can be made a day in advance, kept well-covered in the refrigerator.

Recipe Notes

• The thyme and homemade celery salt are optional, but I really like the bright, vegetal quality they offer to the dip.
• The dip tastes better if it's given several hours for the flavors to blend. It can even be made the day before with excellent results.
• The onions can be caramelized a day or two in advance as well. Follow the recipe through Step 2 then place the cooled onions in a container, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
• The texture of the dip calls for finely chopped onions. This means they will cook more quickly and burn more easily than larger cuts of onion when caramelizing, so keep an eye on them, stirring frequently. It also helps to keep a little water or wine nearby so the pan can be quickly deglazed and cooled if the onions start to scorch.
• Potato chips are the classic dipping vehicle but fresh vegetables such as carrot and celery sticks, cut up bell pepper strips, radishes, and so on are great. Alternative chips such as sweet potato and taro are also delicious.

(Image credits: Dana Velden)

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