Tomato OD

I did not want excess of any vegetable and so made sure I planted only 3 tomato plants as I'd been warned about tomatoes always having to be thrown away because of its abundant fruit production. I carefully chose a plant each of heirloom, cherry and grape tomato varieties confident that I'd ensured no possibility of wastage.

Early Girl: Heirloom Tomatoes

Grape Tomatoes

Sweet Cherry: Cherry Tomatoes

At first everything went smooth. I kept getting consistent and sufficient amounts of tomatoes. Then the erratic rains started and there was havoc! My heirlooms were so heavy that it weighed the plant down and all the added moisture from the rains made the fruits so full that it tore its skin! The heirlooms were the first to crack and then the cherry and grape tomatoes followed suit. I was forced throw away the badly damaged ones and carefully pick ones that were still intact or only slightly split. The rains had also caused all the tomatoes to ripen at the same time and even reduced the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes. Despite my efforts to not produce beyond my needs, I'd manged to do just that. As I buried the rotting tomatoes in my garden to improve the soil fertility, desperate to make sure its put to some use, I was mentally trying to figure out ways and means to save the remaining I was going to take home.

At home I'd begun getting reports of  my dishes beginning to have an overdose of tomato puree.I had to preserve them for later, and ketchup seemed like a great option. I remembered trying out a ketchup recipe from a book that had a collection of recipes used by late Mrs. Rachel Zachariah a close family friend of my grandparents who was known for her cooking skills. The book was compiled by her husband with the help of their children in memory of her and I love the book not only because of the great recipes but also because of the sentiments it holds.

Mrs. Zachariah's Spicy Tomato Ketchup

Ingredients

1 kg tomato

1cup vinegar*

200 grams sugar

1 sliced ginger

1 tablespoon sliced garlic

1 tablespoon raisin

10  dried  red pepper (seeds removed)

7 cloves

2- 1 inch piece cinnamon sticks

1  tablespoon salt

* As I preferred not to use synthetic vinegar I tried white wine vinegar which made the ketchup a little too pungent. My sister-in-law used apple cider vinegar in the same recipe and got great results. 

Preparation 

• Slice tomatoes and add 1/2 cup vinegar, salt, cloves and cinnamon.

• Cook well in pressure cooker for 15 to 20 minutes.

• Grind raisin, garlic, ginger, red pepper with vinegar and sugar. 

• Blend (in a mixer or blender) and strain cooked tomatoes and add to sugar and vinegar mixture.

•  Cook on medium fire. 

• When it reaches sauce consistency cool and bottle.

I happened to mention my struggles with tomatoes to very resourceful relatives and friends and got great ideas, from making soup and juice to salsa and marinara sauce.

The idea of tomato juice made me very nostalgic. It reminded me of the mint garnished tomato juice my mother made and I relished. It probably tasted so great because tomatoes did not fall within the cheap locally grown vegetable category and with a very cost conscious father who reminded us of how much a kilo of tomato cost and why making tomato juice ought to be avoided because of the same, every glass of tomato juice that my mom managed to make dodging the ever watchful eyes of my dad always felt like a sinful indulgence.  Making the same at a time when I was struggling to save the tomatoes from going rotten, still tasted great, but not as great as it did back then!

When my mom made it, she used to add sugar and strain the juice. I tried not doing both to make it more healthier and then decided to compromise health for taste. The mint to garnish really changes the whole character of the juice giving it a quality that leaves a mark on your taste buds.  

The salsa idea was given by a cousin who herself grows vegetables and has explored extensively healthy eating options. I came across some wonderful recipes, and got down to making it only once, with no time for pictures, because it was made in a hurry and got eaten up even faster! Same was the case with the marinara and pizza sauce that I made.

Oven roasted tomatoes and garlic, seeded jalapeno peppers, coriander leaves, lemon juice and salt, pulsed in a blender to desired consistency you have a quick salsa that is so much more better than the store bought ones. Add a little vinegar to it and it can be refrigerated for a week or more. I came across elaborate salsa preparation and bottling methods that I have saved to try on an uneventful weekend.

It was after trying out all this that my garden neighbor whose plot I was watching while she was out of town suggested looking into the possibility of freezing the tomatoes for later. Her garden was producing several pounds of tomatoes every week and with them out of town the situation had gone out of my hands and several pounds of tomatoes went rotten. I was relieved to hear that they could be frozen and happy that I would be able to save them for my neighbor.

I froze the tomatoes using directions I found on http://food.unl.edu/web/preservation/freezing-tomatoes

This season's tomato OD has taught me so much. Can't wait for next summer to learn more!

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