Kasoundi

This preserve is an Indian style chilli oil pickle.  You will notice that the finished product has some oil floating on top.  Please don’t be tempted to remove it, as it is an essential ingredient for the preserving.

Once the jar is emptied of pickle, this oil, which will remain to some extent in the jar.  It can be used to flavor dressings, or to sauté meats, chicken, fish or vegetables.

My personal favourite is to dip little pieces of fresh baked crusty bread into the flavoursome oil, a simple feast but absolutely delicious.

The recipe can be made with ripe red or even green tomatoes.

Ingredients

1½ cups white or cider vinegar

20 cloves garlic

2.5cm piece of green ginger

250g long red or green chillies, stalk end removed and each cut into 3 pieces

2kg ripe tomatoes, chopped

1½ tablespoons of mustard seeds

1 ½ cups oil such as mild flavoured olive, peanut or sunflower

One and a half tablespoons of turmeric

4 tablespoons cumin powder

1¼ cups sugar

1 tablespoon salt

Method

Peel the garlic and ginger, then place in a food processor with the chillies.

Blend well on high speed until well pureed. You can chop by hand of course if you don’t have a food processor)

Place in a large saucepan or jam pan with the rest of the ingredients.  Bring to the boil, stirring, then simmer for approximately two hours or until desired consistency is reached.

Pour into warm sterilized jars and seal immediately.

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Tomato Relish

The beauty of this recipe is that if you want to make tomato sauce, just blitz or sieve the mixture once it’s cooked. If you would like a more chutney like flavour, add a diced cored apple to the mixture.

Ingredients

2 kg tomatoes, diced

500g onions, diced

2 tablespoons salt

3 teaspoons mustard powder

3 teaspoons curry powder

500g sugar

750ml white or cider vinegar

1 tablespoon cornflour

12O ml vinegar, extra

Method

Place all except the cornflour and 120ml extra vinegar in a large saucepan or jam pan.

Bring to the boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium and cook for one hour, stirring occasionally.

Mix the cornflour with the extra vinegar and stir into the simmering relish.  Cook until thickened (about 3 minutes), stirring.

Pour into warm, sterilised jars and seal immediately.

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Tomato Pie

The tomato mixture is best made first for this recipe.  It can be kept in the fridge for up to three days., or in the freezer for 6 months.

Ingredients

1 egg, separated, for glazing

For the crust

300g plain flour

½ teaspoon sea salt

150g cold salted butter, diced

1 spring onion, roughly chopped

1 egg yolk, lightly whisked

For the filling

850g tomatoes

2 teaspoons tomato paste

½ teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons finely snipped chives

2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves

40g cornflour

Method

To make the pastry

Place the flour, salt and spring onion in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (Alternatively, this can be achieved by rubbing the ingredients together with your fingertips, although in this instance you will need to finely chop the spring onions).

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 70ml cold water.

Transfer the flour mixture to a large bowl and then, using a metal spoon, fold in enough egg yolk mixture to form a soft dough.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up before using.

.To make the filling

Peel the tomatoes by dipping them in boiling water for a few seconds, then plunging into very cold water for a few seconds more.  The skins should slip off easily.  Cut the tomatoes into 6 to 8mm slices, discarding the stalk ends.

Place the tomatoes in a bowl with the tomato paste, sugar, salt, chives, basil and cornflour.  Stir gently with a metal spoon to combine, ensuring that there are no lumps of cornflour present.

Taste to see if extra salt is needed.

To assemble for baking

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (fan forced).  Grease a 20cm round fluted flan tin with a removable base, 8cm deep.

Cut one third from the pastry, cover and set aside.  Roll the remaining pastry out on a lightly floured surface until large enough to line the base and side of the flan tin with just a small overhang. Press it into place.

Whisk the egg yolk for the glaze and brush it over the pastry.  Leave to dry for 2 minutes, then tip any remaining egg yolk into the egg white, whisk together, then brush over the pastry once more.  Leave to stand for 3 minutes.  This double glazing is to ensure a good seal so that the tomato juice don’t ooze through and make the pastry soggy.

Roll out the reserved pastry to make a pie lid.  Crimp the edges together with your fingers or a fork to firmly seal.  If desired make small leaves from the offcuts of pastry to decorate.

Whisk 2 teaspoon of cold water with the remaining egg glaze to thin it down a little, then brush over the top of the pie.

Prick the top of the pie in 6 places with the tip of a sharp knife.

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 170 degrees C and bake for 45 minutes more, or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack for a minimum of one hour before removing from tin and serving.

Recipe based on the one for Summer Tomato Pie from my latest book entitled “The Comfort Bake”