Homemade tomato sauce

I got around 3 kilos of ripe heirloom tomatoes from a relative’s garden. The tomatoes being quite ripe would not stay for long in the fridge and I had no immediate use of the amount of tomatoes. Therefore, I decided to make a tomato sauce using those. My plan was to make some sauce that I will later use to replace tomato puree or tomatoes in certain dishes and not something similar to ketchup. Hence, (and also because I was a bit lazy) I decided to not go through the steps of skinning and deseeding the tomatoes. The flavors were a mix of Bengali bhaja masala and Mediterranean herbs. However, the trick to this amazing sauce is balancing the sweetness and tartness perfectly. It was a wonderful amalgam sweet and sour, with a hint of chili in the background and the spices and herbs adding to the flavor. [I am about a month late to put the recipe in the blog, and in the meantime, we have finished the whole jar of sauce, and have created a delicious chicken recipe using the same.]

You can print the recipe for your kitchen here: PRINTABLE RECIPE

 

INGREDIENTS:

3kg tomato (heirloom tomatoes)

10-12 garlic cloves

10-12 cloves

2tbsp chili powder

1tbsp ground black pepper

1tbsp Mediterranean spice mix

2tbsp bhaja masala

3-4 bay leaves

1cup sugar

1 lemon juice

1tbsp vinegar

4tbsp butter

Salt to taste

METHOD:

1.      Roughly chop the tomato (do not discard the seeds and skin)

2.      In a heavy bottomed pan, add the tomatoes along with all other ingredients.

3.      Mix everything well with hands until the tomatoes are a bit squeezed.

4.      Put on low-moderate heat. Cook for 3 hours with occasional stirring.

5.      When it reduces into a thick saucy consistency, check the seasoning and remove from heat.

6.      Put in a clean jar and close the lid tightly while still hot.

7.      Store in a cool place or fridge after it cools down.

NOTE:

The sauce is for using while cooking gravies as a substitute of tomatoes or tomato puree, and not really as ketchup. Take into account the seasoning and flavors of the sauce while substituting tomato puree with this sauce in gravies.