Tomato Ketchup

Ingredients
Tomato	2 kg
Onion	100 g
Ginger	50 g
Garlic	20 g
Garam masala	15 g
Red chilli powder	20–25 g
Salt	10 g
Sugar	100–150 g
Acetic acid	2 tbsp
Sodium benzoate	1 g/kg cooked preparation

Method

1. Select fully ripe, deep red-colored tomatoes.
2. Cook tomato, onion, red chilli powder, garlic, and ginger in a pressure cooker till one or two whistles.
3. Strain puree through a stainless steel strainer to separate the skins and seeds. Discard the seeds and skins.
4. Add about 1/3rd of the sugar.
5. Tie garam masala in a muslin cloth and immerse into the pulp.
6. Cook pulp till it reduces to one-third of its original mass.
7. Take out the garam masala bag and squeeze it properly to extract the juice and flavor of the spices.
8. Remove the muslin bag; add acetic acid, salt, and the remaining sugar.
9. Cook it till the finished product reaches the desired consistency.
10. Test the consistency of the ketchup by pouring a little sample on a dry plate. If water separates out, cook for some more time.
11. Remove from fire; mix sodium benzoate into a small quantity of the finished product and then transfer it to the rest of the product.
12. Mix well and pour the product into clean and dry bottles while hot, and seal.

(Garden to Kitchen, Vigyan Prasar)