Compound Tomato Sauce (lacto-fermented ketchup)
Also see updated recipe here
Adapted from a recipe in The First African-American Cookbook from 1881 using a method described by Sally Fallon, this is a rich, thick fermented (rather than cooked) ketchup. I left out the high fructose corn syrup, in case you feel like calling the food police..
1 1/2 cups organic tomato paste (or make your own)
1/8 cup whey
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (optional)
1/8 cup fermented fish sauce OR 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Grind dry ingredients together in a spice grinder or mortar. Add to the rest of the ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and stir well to combine.
Add filtered water, if necessary, to achieve the thickness that you prefer.
Transfer ketchup to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and allow to sit at room temperature for 48-72 hours before transferring to refrigerator for long-term storage.
Flat Iron Steak, Sweet Potato Chips « Edible Aria said,
February 8, 2009 at 7:53 pm
[...] steak topped with herb butter, accompanied with sweet potato chips and homemade fermented ketchup. .gallery { margin: auto; } .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; [...]
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February 11, 2009 at 9:52 pm
[...] Fermented ketchup, [...]
Jenny said,
February 21, 2009 at 10:03 am
Nice! I’m going to have to try this. My husband and I have been looking for a good fermented ketchup recipe.
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[...] Make some ketchup too and throw away the squeeze bottles! [...]
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Angela said,
March 16, 2009 at 8:21 am
Thank you so much! I am going to try this one… I do have one question, do you make your own fermented fish sauce, or do you know of a good one to buy. I have been a bit scared to ferment fish myself! Eek!
Ren said,
March 16, 2009 at 8:47 am
I looked at the recipe and like you, decided to go with the commercial stuff; Thai author Kasma Loha-unchit has some good tips about fish sauce and recommends Tra Chang and Golden Boy.
I’m going to drop the anchovy paste next time, as the batch was a little pungent for my taste.
Updated: Compound Tomato Sauce (lacto-fermented ketchup) « Edible Aria said,
May 28, 2009 at 10:26 pm
[...] an earlier version of this [...]
Paul Renshaw said,
March 12, 2010 at 5:48 pm
What is meant by a non-reactive bowl?
Ren said,
March 13, 2010 at 1:05 pm
A non-reactive bowl is one that doesn’t react chemically with the food that you put into it. Most citrus and tomatoes, for example, can take on a metallic taste if prepared or stored in anything other than stainless steel, ceramic or glass.
Melina said,
June 23, 2010 at 11:50 am
How do you make your own tomato paste. It sounds like it would take a ton of tomatoes.
Ren said,
June 23, 2010 at 2:04 pm
It does, but its a great way to use up fallen, bruised or excess tomatoes at the end of the season; a few pounds will make enough paste to last the winter.
kindalikeachef said,
August 13, 2010 at 5:33 pm
How did you prepare the garlic so it wasn’t chunky?
Ren said,
August 13, 2010 at 5:44 pm
I simply used a knife to finely mince the garlic, but you could crush it in a mortar or push it through a press if needed.
kindalikeachef said,
August 13, 2010 at 6:01 pm
Thanks! I think I’m going to crush it in my mortar. My son lost a part from my press so it doesn’t work anymore! Can’t wait to try this!!!
Ren said,
August 13, 2010 at 6:56 pm
You’re welcome!
I ‘ve heard from a few others that my recipe is a little strong for their taste, so you might want cut back on the seasoning/anchovy and add it a little at a time until it tastes good to you (the flavors will intensify a little under refrigeration).
Good luck!
kindalikeachef said,
August 13, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Thanks for the recommendation! I want my kids to be able to eat it so it’ll probably better that I do less seasoning anyhow!
Nourishing Traditions – Experiments with Condiments | DaiaSolGaia said,
January 25, 2011 at 6:55 pm
[...] absolute favorite is the fermented ketchup (or here) – I used tomato sauce we made (and froze) last summer from our own tomatoes, boiled the [...]
Kara said,
April 11, 2012 at 10:01 am
Is the fish sauce optional, or just the anchovy? I’d love to try this but I’m not a fan of either flavor. Also, how long does it last?
Ren said,
April 11, 2012 at 3:40 pm
Both are completely optional (I prefer just a dab of anchovy). I think my last batch kept for about 3 months and it tasted good until the end.