Tomato Puree is a handy ingredient at home that is made by grinding boiled tomatoes to a puree. Tomato Puree is used for making gravy, soups & starters and keeps good for a long time if stored properly. Tomato Puree Recipe without adding presrvatives and colors is explained in this post with step by step pictures & video.
In India, where we live day in and day out with Tomato from chutneys in the breakfast to rice in lunch and soups in dinner, we tend to puree it almost every meal in one form or other and have mastered the art of pureeing! Tomato Puree Recipe and more details about it shelf life, preservative addition, measures equivalent is explained in this post.
About Tomato Puree
Tomato Puree is the cream from grinding parboiled pulpy tomatoes used alternatively for raw tomatoes. Tomato Puree prepared in advance saves significant time in our routine cooking and comes handy for preparing side dish or main course.
Tomato Puree in pinch or in needs to the recipe enhances the taste of the food and comes to the saving when you do not want chunks of tomato in the middle of the food but want the taste of it. I recall making chutney, tomato rice, sauce with Tomato puree at ease and comfort when your business or ‘me’ time needs you there.
Tomato Puree – Should we add preservatives?
Strictly no chemical or artificial preservatives at home always. Salt is a natural preservative that can be used in our regular cooking which helps in increasing the shelf life.
Shelf Life of Tomato Puree
I have addsalt while boiling in this recipe for Tomato Puree and hence the puree keeps good for 2 weeks in refrigerator and about 2 months in freezer. We could also make puree with vinegar.
How much of Tomato Puree to use in place of raw tomatoes?
I have used 6 medium sized tomatoes that measures around 300 ml of tomato puree. So 1 tomato is equivalent to roughly 4 table spoons of tomato puree and 4 tomatoes make 1 cup of puree. Size of the tomato may slightly differentiate the quantity prescribed- hence take a judgemental call when you are cooking.
Tomato Puree – When is it useful?
Tomato Puree comes to the rescue when we need to save time in the routine cooking or when cooking in bulk or cooking lot of dishes. When seasonality affects the supply of tomatoes daily and the tomato price sky rocket, tomato puree is helpful. We trend to try different cuisines & dishes with tomato puree when tomatoes are in abundance and cheap.
Tomato Puree & Tomato Sauce – Are they same?
No – Tomato Puree is the early stage of sauce and usually prepared by boiling tomatoes and ground to paste. Tomato Sauce or Ketchup is the advanced stage of Puree and usually prepared by simmering raw tomatoes for a longer period of time.
Ingredients
- Tomato: Tomato is the star ingredient which is preferred juicy and sweet & sour for tomato rice, else it may make the rice just a plain masala rice. Tomatoes are often harvested while still green & immature, then ripened artificially with ethylene gas which leads to less flavour & bland tomatoes. Artificially ripened tomatoes are slightly green & yellowish at the top. Choose fresh tomatoes that are red / orangish uniformly, firm & soft and weighs in proportion to its size. Avoid using canned tomatoes, sauces as a substitute for fresh tomatoes.
Tip for cutting tomato: Use serrated knife to cut tomatoes which prevents making a mess.
Tip for cooking tomato: Since tomatoes are acidic, they are reactive to iron making the rice bitter & metallic. Stainless steel or nonstick or iron with ceramic coating pans can be used.
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Tomato Puree
Ingredients
- 6 medium sized tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- water as needed
Instructions
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Rinse tomatoes well wipe off with a cloth and make it ready.
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Then mark a plus at the bottom of each tomato(this is to ensure even cooking).
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Add 3 cups water. Boil water and add salt.
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Now slowly add the tomatoes.
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Cook in medium flame for 3-5 mins or until the skin starts to split and peel off.
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Switch off.
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Remove from flame and set aside for 10 mins.
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Drain the tomatoes.
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Drain water completely. Cool down completely.
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Then peel of the skin.
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Repeat to finish.
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Slice off the eye of the tomato. Repeat to finish.
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Chop it roughly.
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Repeat to finish.
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Transfer to a mixer.
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Blend it until smooth.
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Transfer to a strainer.
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Strain and extract puree completely.
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Tomato puree is ready.
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Use it fresh as needed or freeze the puree. I poured in my silicone mould.
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Cover with foil. Freeze it overnight.
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Next day remove the mould from freezer.
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Gently press to remove the pieces.
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Transfer to a container. Freeze it.Thaw and use it when required.
Video
Notes
- You can store (refrigerate) this for up to 2 weeks. Use clean spoon every time.
- The other way is to pour the puree in ice cube trays and freeze it.
- Removing seeds is purely optional, I usually discard them.
- Boil the puree to a thick consistency to increase the shelf life. Heating to a boil before storage and using clean storage containers helps to increase shelf life.
- You can either use country or hybrid tomatoes, any variety as per your preference.
Nutrition
Tomato Puree Step by Step
1.Rinse tomatoes well wipe off with a cloth and make it ready.
2.Then mark a plus at the bottom of each tomato(this is to ensure even cooking).
3.Add 3 cups water. Boil water and add salt.
4.Now slowly add the tomatoes.
5.Cook in medium flame for 3-5 mins or until the skin starts to split and peel off.
6.Switch off.
7.Remove from flame and set aside for 10 mins.
8.Drain the tomatoes.
9.Drain water completely. Cool down completely.
10.Then peel of the skin.
11.Repeat to finish.
12.Slice off the eye of the tomato. Repeat to finish.
13.Chop it roughly.
14.Repeat to finish.
15.Transfer to a mixer.
16.Blend it until smooth.
17.Transfer to a strainer.
18.Strain and extract puree completely.
19.Tomato puree is ready.
20.Use it fresh as needed or freeze the puree. I poured in my silicone mould.
21.Cover with foil. Freeze it overnight.
22.Next day remove the mould from freezer.
23.Gently press to remove the pieces.
24.Transfer to a container. Freeze it. Thaw and use it when required.
Notes & Tips from Readers
- Removing seeds is purely optional, I usually discard them.
- You can either use country /native or hybrid tomatoes, any variety as per your preference.
- Also the water in which tomato was boiled can be used for sambar, soups etc.
- If adding vinegar add 1/2 tsp to the prepared tomato puree and store it.
Dishes with Tomato Puree
- Gravies like Paneer Butter Masala, KadaiPaneer, MalaiKofta, Peas Masala, MatarPaneer, etc
- Curries like Thakali Kulambu, Mochai Kolambu, etc
- Chutneys & sauces.
Storage Suggestions
- You can store (refrigerate) this for up to 2 weeks. Use clean spoon every time and store in glass / ceramic container or tins or in pouches.
- The other way is to pour the puree in ice cube trays and freeze it which keeps good for 3 months. Thaw it then use it for dishes.
- Heating to a boil before storage and using clean storage containers helps to increase shelf life.
FAQS
1.What is Tomato Puree?
Tomato Puree is a handy ingredient at home that is made by grinding boiled tomato to a puree. Tomato Puree is used for making gravy, soups & starters and keeps good for nearly 2 weeks.
2.How do you make Tomato Puree?
- Wash tomatoes and rinse off dirt if any. Then cut mark like a plus at the bottom of each tomato (this is to ensure even cooking)
- Boil water (just enough for the tomatoes to immerse). Now slowly add the tomatoes and cook in medium flame for 3-5 mins or until the skin starts to split and peel off.
- Now remove the tomatoes, cool down. Then peel of the skin, discard the eye portion of the tomatoes.
- Cut the tomatoes roughly.
- Puree them in a mixer or blender to a smooth paste (Do not add water).
- Allow the tomato puree to cool down completely then store it in airtight container.
3.Tomato Puree – Should we add preservatives?
We can make tomato puree with or without preservatives. I usually add salt while parboiling tomatoes thats all. But I don’t add any other preservative and it keeps well in fridge for 2 weeks.Vinegar is a natural preservative that can be used in our regular cooking which helps in increasing the shelf life.
4.How much of Tomato Puree to use in place of raw tomatoes
1 tomato is equivalent to 4 table spoons of tomato puree approximately and 4 tomatoes make 1 cup of puree. Size of the tomato may slightly differentiate the quantity prescribed- hence take a judgemental call when you are cooking.
5.Tomato Puree & Tomato Sauce – Are they same?
No – Tomato Puree is the early stage of sauce and usually prepared by boiling tomatoes and ground to paste. Tomato Sauce or Ketchup is the advanced stage of Puree and usually prepared by simmering raw tomatoes for a longer period of time.
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