Ketchup can make almost anything tastier. Whether you have it on chips, on your meat, on a hot dog, on a burger… anything!
Kids love ketchup too, and actually the good news is that giving kids ketchup is a great way to provide them with antioxidants (anti-cancer molecules found in tomatoes), vitamins, and more. But that’s only true if you make the ketchup yourself.
The problem with ‘real’ ketchup you see – the shop bought stuff – is that it contains very little actual tomato and a whole lot of e-numbers and additives that you really don’t want. This is why we’re going to look at how you can make your own ketchup very easily.
And not only will this be much healthier for you and your kids, but it will also provide you with the perfect complement to whatever you are cooking. Why? Because you can choose precisely what you want to go into it of course! That way you can make any ketchup you like, for any occasion.
1 Onion and Tomato Ketchup
This first ketchup recipe will begin with an onion. You are going to cook that in oil on a medium heat, until it is soft, sweet, and just lightly brown. From here, you’re going to dunk in a heap of garlic and some fresh ginger, red pepper flakes, and allspice. Remember: ketchup doesn’t have to be ketchup! It’s called ‘tomato’ ketchup because it needs to remind you that there are different types out there!
As you can see, this recipe is already a lot more interesting that your average shop bought product! You’re getting a bunch of different flavors, and a bunch of different healthy fruits and veg in order to pack in the nutrients.
Next, in goes the tomato paste. You’re then going to add just a little bit of brown sugar – not so as to put this out of the ‘healthy category’ and then you’re going to simmer it on a low heat. Once that is done, you will simply blend the entire thing in order to make a thick paste. That thick paste not only tastes tangy and delicious, but it also provides any meal with additional nutrition!