How to Make Tomato Ketchup
Tomato ketchup is undoubtedly one of the most favorite and commonly used sauces in the world. It can be found in almost all households and is used with an extensive array of culinary delights. It is important to note that this tomato sauce is more than an accompaniment to be used with hot dogs, hamburgers, pizzas, and wraps. It has an amazing past that can be traced back to Imperial China. Thus, next time when you are coaxing a dollop of tomato sauce on your food from the reluctant bottle, you will be reminded of its glorious past.
Catching Up with Tomato Ketchup
It is almost unbelievable to know that there were no tomatoes added to the ancestors of tomato ketchup we use today. In the 1500s, tomato plants reached England from South America. The fruits from these plants were not consumed for centuries together as natives considered them to be poisonous. The ancestor of our good, old ketchup was, in fact, a fermented fish sauce that originated from southern China. After some time, documentation of texts started wherein how the fermented pastes were used from fish entrails to make the sauce were recorded. This sauce was called “koe-cheup” or the “ge-thcup.”
This sauce was carried by the sailors when going on long ocean voyages. Gradually, the use of this sauce spread and reached various corners of the world along the trade routes. Britishers took it to their nation in the early 1700s and added and reduced a few ingredients, thereby corrupting the original recipe.
At the beginning of the 19th century, ketchup as used today came into existence. It started with ketchup made up of mushrooms, oysters, lemons, mussels, walnuts, peaches, plums, and celery. These ingredients were boiled until syrup-like consistency was achieved and left for extended periods. Salt was added to it as a preservative. It resulted in a spicy and salty flavour bomb. Gradually, tomatoes came into use to make the tomato sauce. People started making homemade tomato sauce and enjoyed various dishes. Today, it is so common to see tomato ketchup in restaurants, hotels, homes, etc.
Besides enhancing the flavour and taste of food, tomato ketchup has a lot of health benefits.
Health Benefits of Tomato Ketchup
Here are a few benefits of tomato ketchup, making it a perfect food enhancer. Going through these health benefits will explain how it is not only an ultimate tasting dip but a power-packed accompaniment with a host of health advantages to offer.
Reduces Cholesterol- The tomato sauce brings the best advantage to people suffering from high cholesterol issues. It helps in cutting down on low-density lipoprotein, which is also referred to as bad cholesterol. Follow the tomato sauce recipe and use it as much as possible as it can help you lower bad cholesterol levels from 13 to 6 percent, as per a study conducted in Finland.
Improves Eyesight- Enjoying the good old Tamatar sauce can help improve your eyesight. Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin A and C, and these are key to a healthy vision. Moreover, tomato sauce also helps in boosting the immune system.
Taste Enhancer- The homemade tomato sauce has everything in it, which seems to burst various flavours and enhance the taste of even a bland cuisine. It is high in salt and sugar content but is not unhealthy as it is mostly taken as small servings. It has been found that many athletes and fitness enthusiasts use tomato sauce to enhance the taste of their food which is otherwise unpalatable.
Interesting Uses of Tomato Ketchup
Tomato sauce can be used in several unthinkable ways, different from its role as a food accompaniment or taste enhancer. Let us have a look at how differently it is used.
Dressings for salads- Many people follow the tomato ketchup recipe to make this sweet and salty accompaniment used as a salad dressing. It is used with Thousand Island Salad, Russian salad, and more. It enhances its taste and makes it look more appealing and attractive. You can also add it to several Indian chat recipes to make it spicier, tangier, and tastier. The sweet-salt underlying taste of tomatoes can do wonders to even simple dishes and transform them into delectable gourmet cuisine.
As a Cleaning Agent- If you know how to make tomato sauce, you must know tomato sauce being acidic. Thus, it can be used to clean your silverware and copperware. You can pour tomato ketchup into a dish and let your silverware soak in it for ten minutes. Once done, take it out, wash with water, rinse and polish them. You will find it gleaming as good as new.
Good Cleaning agent for cast iron pans and pots- It is very tough to clean pots and pans made up of cast iron. Use tomato ketchup to remove stubborn rust from its surface. Let your pots and pans sit in tomato sauce for fifteen minutes, and use a wire brush to scrub it clean. It helps in dissolving rust because of its acidic properties.
If you avoid getting packaged sauces and ketchup from the market, it is imperative to learn how to make tomato sauce at home. It is easy and quick to make. You can check out a lot of videos that clearly show how to make tomato ketchup. Follow the instructions, and you will get homemade ketchup or sauce, which is good in quality and excellent in taste. Most of the tomato sauce ingredients are available in every household kitchen, making it easier for you to whip this sauce at home.
Today, tomato sauce has become a quintessential accompaniment that pairs well with various food options. Whether it is chats or continental cuisines, this is one accompaniment that goes well with everything and adjusts the taste of the food. Many times, food that tastes completely bland becomes very tasteful and delicious with the addition of this food product. Try making tomato sauce or ketchup at home and keep it handy to enjoy it with various food dishes.
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