How To Preserve Homemade Tomato Onion Paste
In our hectic life style,we often need to look out for ways to make life simpler. One place that we need shortcuts is in the kitchen.Today’s tip is very helpful to make gravy/ curry or dal at the drop of a hat, well almost.
Most of out gravies/dals and curries make use of tomato and onion that are either sauteed and used as such or added as a paste.This process takes somewhere between 15-30 minutes which requires chopping the vegetables, sauteing them,letting them cool and then grinding it to a paste.If all this is done ahead and stored in the fridge / freezer, it facilitates the preparation of a quick meal.
Here is what I use / do….
Ripe tomatoes – 1 kilo
Pear onion- 3/4 kilo
Garlic pods – 10 large
Oil
Salt
- Chop the tomato and onion roughly.
- Heat enough oil in a pan and saute onion, tomato and garlic till the tomato is soft.
- Let it cool.
- Add a little salt and grind the tomato-onion to a fine paste
- Again heat a few teaspoons of oil in a pan and put in the ground paste.
- Cook on medium flame till oil oozes out.
- Cool and store in a airtight container in the refrigerator.I usually freeze this paste in small containers.
Note :
- Usually I use pearl onion.You can use any type of onion for this recipe
- The ratio of the ingredients can be varied to suit your taste.
- Adding garlic is a matter of personal choice.
- Similarly this can also be stored without adding salt.
- If salt is added as mentioned above, adjust salt in the dish that the paste is used in.
- The quantity of oil can be reduced while sauteing. Oil acts as a preservative and hence can be refrigerated for a longer period.
- If using less oil, it is advisable to freeze the paste is small containers and use as required.
So far in Blogging marathon this month under the topic – Preps and preserves….
Day 6 – Homemade curd / yogurt
Day 5 – Homemade breadcrumbs
Day 4 – How to brew South Indian Filter Coffee
Day 3 – How To freeze coconut
Day 2 – Homemade Ginger garlic Paste
Day 1 – How to blanch almonds in the microwave
2010– Savory Oats Porridge
2008– Pepper flavored rice , Curry leaf powder and Curry leaf flavored rice
Bon Appetit…
Lovely preserve..comes in very handy at all times.
Herbs & Flowers: Spring Onions
This is really helpful.
this is so handy…its such a boon wen unexpected guest come in..or wen u r short on time…
Fingerlicking preserve, looks fabulous..
We do the same, though I do not freeze it. This keeps in the fridge for a couple of days; works if we have a party or get together. The final dish can be put together at the end.
nice preserve, works for most recipes
Nice preserve,come handy for any recipe….
very nice
wonderful idea..
Ah..this was on my list..:)..so glad you could join us PJ..:)
Nice post…
Slurp,yummy…
That definitely is a great preserve to have in the fridge for quick weeknight dinners.
Enjoyed doing the marathon with you PJ. Hopefully you can join us again soon.
Nice one PJ. I freeze tomato paste too but I don't saute it again after grinding.
wondfu idea. we can do this when we have to cook a lot when there is a party.
At my house its usually gone before I even have a chance to freeze 🙂
This one definitely comes handy on busy nights.
Take care Padma.
Great tip! And a very handy one at that! All Indian dishes have a need for this paste!
Thanks for this lovely preserve.
How long can you store this?