Hot Tomato Sauce

The price of tomatoes have fallen down drastically over the few days and we have been getting a kilo for around 10-12 rupees. Isn’t this a sufficient reason to make some tomoato sauce and store it in your refrigerator? I remember my grandma making this when I was a small girl and my mom used to follow her recipe and make it for us. I have been brought up in a family which believes that each and every home made food is much better and superior to outside food. I may be wrong and I often feel that whenever we discuss food at home with my hubby 🙂 He believes that even outside food is good and healthy and there is nothing superior about home food. To each his own, isn’t it? I can’t change the way a person thinks. I remember long back (when I was newly married) I had tried to make tomato sauce at home and hubby had said though yours is good, but it doesn’t taste like store bought tomato sauce. Well, I have never made it again in my kitchen 🙂 But now I have Neha and she feels whatever her mom makes is the best 🙂 Also my blog is my biggest inspiration and how can I forget my favorite baking group on Facebook, where I have lots and lots of well wishers and followers. So these days, I feel like trying out many stuffs just so that I can update it in my blog 🙂

So what are you guys waiting for ? Grab some fresh tomatoes and make this. And do not forget to share your feedback with me 🙂 Thanks for reading. The best part is with just a kilo of tomatoes, I got around 700-750 grams of sauce. Just look at the colour! No artificial colours or  preservatives are used in the recipe. Just remember to store it in clean and dry glass bottles once the sauce is fully cooled. It will surely stay good for a month. I shall definitely update the shelf life as I use it because as of now I do not know how long this will last 🙂

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes 1 kg
• Salt to taste
• Brown sugar 2-3 tbsp
• Red chilli powder 1-2 tsp
• Vinegar 2 tbsp
• Garlic 2-3 cloves
• Black pepper corns 10-12 
• Cloves 2-3
• Cinnamon 1 inch piece (optional)

Method:

• Wash and pat dry the ripe and red tomatoes.

• Make small incision in the shape of a cross at the base of the tomatoes.

• Blanch it in boiling water for 4-5 minutes.

• Drain and soak the tomatoes in ice cold water for few minutes.
• Remove the skin of the tomatoes and blend it into a fine paste in a mixer.
• Starting it to remove any seeds or skin.
• Peel 2-3 cloves of garlic and crush it a bit. Crush the pepper corns and add these two and the cloves in a clean muslin cloth and tie it to form a pouch (potli).
• Heat a heavy non stick pan and pour the strained tomato pulp into it. Drop on the muslin pouch into it.
• Now add salt to taste, brown sugar and the red chilli powder in to it.
• Simmer it on low flame till the sauce thickens. This will taken around 40-45 minutes. 
• Add the vinegar and boil for a minute. Now remove the muslin pouch and discard it.
• Cool well and store inside the refrigerator in clean and sterilized glass jars. 
• Use it in sandwiches or as a dip. 

Notes:

• You can completely avoid the red chilli powder to make it a sweet n sour sauce.
• Additionally, you can add garlic powder and or onion powder for a variation.
• You can reduce the amount of red chilli powder if you do not want it too spicy. I added 2 teaspoon of red chilli powder and it’s quite spicy.