Home made tomato sauce

Let us make tomato sauce without preservatives

Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 45-60 mins | Yields: ~500ml

Tomatoes: 1 kg (Use ripe, red tomatoes for better color and less sourness).
Onion: 1 medium, roughly chopped.
Garlic: 2-3big cloves .
Sugar: 1/4 cup (adjust depending on how sweet you like it).
Vinegar (White/Synthetic): ¼ cup (acts as a preservative and provides that "zing".
Salt: 1 tsp (or to taste).
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder: 0.5 tsp (for that vibrant "Kissan" red color).
Whole Spices: 2 Cloves, 1-inch Cinnamon stick

Pressure Cook: Roughly chop the tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Put them in a steam cooker. Add no water (tomatoes release enough liquid). Cook until tomatoes are soft.
Blend & Strain: Once cooled. Blend the mixture into a very smooth puree along with cloves and cinnamon stick. Use a fine-mesh sieve to strain the puree into a heavy-bottomed pan. This step is crucial to get that silky, commercial texture.
Simmer & Season: Bring the strained puree to a boil. Add the sugar, salt, and Kashmiri red chilli powder. Simmer on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
The Vinegar Finish: When the sauce starts to thicken (after about 15-20 mins), pour in the vinegar. Continue to cook until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
The Plate Test: To check if it's done, put a drop of sauce on a cold tilted plate. If no water separates from the edges and the sauce flows slowly in a single stream, it’s ready.

Sterilize: Wash a glass bottle in boiling water and dry it completely in the sun or a warm oven before filling.
Shelf Life: Because of the vinegar and sugar, this will last for 1-2 months in the refrigerator.
Consistency: If you want it even thicker, you can simmer it longer, but remember it thickens further as it cools!

Delicacies from my platter