Hey Guys! How are you doing? I am back with another recipe. This time we will be doing a version of salsa with chunks of tomato and peppers in it. The Instructional Video has been attached here.
Mexican Food is very similar to the Indian Cuisine in terms of spices, ingredients and textures. Each dish has a number of components working for it. There are a lot of beans, rice, corn, tortillas (like rotis), spices and herbs used in the preparation, not unlike the food we are used to eat. So, last week when I gave you the recipe for Mexican style cottage cheese spread, I thought I should also include this recipe, continuing the Mexican theme and would probably give you another one next week in which I’ll combine these two in a way that you can make an exotic preparation for your near and dear ones.
The Ingredients required here are quite basic and you end up with something that is lip smacking. This Salsa is so versatile that you can use this as a Dip or as an Accompaniment or even as a Salad Dressing. The options are endless, so go ahead and try it with whatever you want and tell me in the comments. So without further ado, lets start with the recipe.
Ingredients:
Ripe, Plump Tomatoes – 6 nos
Tomato Juice or Tomato Paste – 1 cup / 2 tbsp (diluted with water to one cup)
Olive Oil – 2 tbsp
Finely Chopped Garlic – 1 tbsp
Finely Chopped Green Chillies – 1 1/2 tsp
Diced Bell Peppers – 1/2 cup
Smoked Paprika Powder – 1 tsp
Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder (Jeera) – 1 tsp
Chilly Flakes – 1/2 tsp
Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Worcestershire Sauce – 2 tbsp
Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice – 2 tbsp or as required
Tabasco a few dashes
Freshly Chopped Coriander
Oregano – 1/2 tsp
Chopped Jalapenos Optional
Method:
1. Start by removing the core of the tomatoes with the tip of the knife. Then make a criss-cross on the top of the tomato. This makes it easier to remove the skin after blanching.
2. In a deep pan or a stock pot, boil some water and add the processed tomatoes, keeping them in the boiling water for around thirty seconds, before transferring to a bowl of ice cold water. This process is known as Shocking and it helps to bring the temperature of the blanched tomatoes down rapidly, thus aiding in the removal of the skin from the flesh of the tomatoes.
3. Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them horizontally and remove the pulp and the seeds, squeezing gently while removing the seeds with the help of your fingers. Keep this pulp aside as we’ll be using this later in the recipe.
4. Cut the tomato flesh, obtained after the above mentioned process, into dices. The size can be determined by you, depending on how chunky you like your Salsa.
5. To the diced tomatoes, add the Peppers. You can also add the Jalapenos at this stage if you are using them.
6. In a pan, heat Olive Oil and add the garlic, followed by green chillies. Saute and add the Red Chilly Powder and Smoked Paprika Powder, stir for a few seconds and add the Tomato Juice or the diluted paste. Now add the pulp we had removed from the tomatoes by straining through a mesh strainer. Let it boil till you see a little oil floating on top. At this point, remove from heat and add to the diced tomatoes.
7. Now season with Salt, Ground Pepper, Jeera Powder, Lemon Juice, Worcestershire Sauce, Tabasco, Oregano and Coriander. Mix well, give it a taste, adjust the seasoning if required and the salsa is ready to use.
8. You can serve it Room temperature or Cold. You can also heat it a little and serve.
P.S. – You can also add some chopped spring onions and a little mint.