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Author Topic: tomato sauce  (read 37,864 times)

AI Summary
In this discussion about making tomato sauce for curry, participants share various methods and preferences, highlighting the use of tinned plum tomatoes, tomato puree, and the differences between these products. Some members advocate for using blended plum tomatoes for their flavor and consistency, while others emphasize the importance of using tomato puree for its concentrated taste and cooking properties. The consensus leans towards the idea that both options can work, but the choice depends on personal preference and the specific recipe being followed.

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Offline goncalo

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tomato sauce
« on: February 01, 2013, 04:32 PM »
I was wondering how you go about making your own tomato sauce. I've looked at the recipe from c2g, where Julian suggests using double-concentrate and for each part of sauce, add 2 same parts of water and then for each litre of watered down tomato sauce, add 1 tbsp of tandoori masala and let it rest for 2 hours.

Now, I don't know about you, but here the tomato sauce comes in a tube and it's not quite very precise or pratical to be squeezing it into a spoon to water it down, so I'm hoping there is a better way around this  and I'm sure there is, so any thoughts would be gladly welcome :)

Also, your thoughts on adding tandoori masala to the tomato  sauce would be welcome, as this is one of those things from the c2g book, like "bassar", that I can't quite put my finger on.

n.b: I'm referring to the tomato sauce/paste we generally throw in around the time G&G stops sizzling

Thanks
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Offline h4ppy-chris

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Re: tomato sauce
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2013, 04:45 PM »
Tinned plum tomatoes blended for me every time in the making of a curry.
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Offline goncalo

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Re: tomato sauce
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2013, 04:48 PM »
Quote from: h4ppy-chris on February 01, 2013, 04:45 PM
Tinned plum tomatoes blended for me every time in the making of a curry.

Cool, thanks h4ppy-chris. Any additional spices added to the sauce? :)
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Offline RubyDoo

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Re: tomato sauce
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2013, 04:49 PM »
I did originally go down the line of Julian's mix with a touch of tandoori massala. Must say, having used it both with and without I cannot see, taste even, the difference when used in this proportion. Won't bother in future. As far as measuring out the concentrate I think we are back to the thorny old subject of shall we get out our postal scales. I think not. No doubt someone will disagree.  ;)   A rough measure is fine by me with this stuff.  Many of CA's recipes require the tom mix and he suggests 3 parts water to one of paste concentrate. Again, I have not noticed too much difference. 3:1 , 2:1, either way it is a means of getting the tomato into the oil etc. More water will afford less opportunity to burn but also take more time to dissipate. 

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Offline RubyDoo

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Re: tomato sauce
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2013, 04:51 PM »
Quote from: h4ppy-chris on February 01, 2013, 04:45 PM
Tinned plum tomatoes blended for me every time in the making of a curry.

Why?   ;D
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Offline fried

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Re: tomato sauce
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2013, 05:04 PM »
I'm also curious about the difference when using plum tomatoes.

I believe that this is one of the critical areas in cooking a curry. All the curries I've made that haven't been up to scratch have when I've analysed the process, had either too much puree mixture or not liquid enough. This is using recipes that I know well.

l cook on induction and it could be that too much lowers the temperature too much. Not really enough evidence yet.
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Offline Malc.

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Re: tomato sauce
« Reply #6 on: February 01, 2013, 05:08 PM »
Gagomes just squeeze it into a small bowl and add twice as much water, simple. Otherwise, you could use pasata.
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Offline RubyDoo

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Re: tomato sauce
« Reply #7 on: February 01, 2013, 05:11 PM »
Or if you are not happy doing it by eye, stick it on the scales and do it by ml. I still maintain that the ratio is not tooooooo critical reference my previous comment regarding the reduction of the water content.
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Offline Secret Santa

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Re: tomato sauce
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2013, 05:14 PM »
Quote from: h4ppy-chris on February 01, 2013, 04:45 PM
Tinned plum tomatoes blended for me every time in the making of a curry.

I use both tomato puree (it's puree gagomes, not sauce, if it's in a tube) and blended tinned tomatoes. You have to be careful with the tomatoes though because some brands are very acidic. I use LIDL plum tomatoes most often as they are cheap and very nice.
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Offline DalPuri

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Re: tomato sauce
« Reply #9 on: February 01, 2013, 05:18 PM »
If the tubes are a struggle Gagomes, try to get a tin of puree.

tomato sauce
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