How to make Tomato Puree
Homemade tomato puree

How to preserve tomato puree

You need tomato puree for making tomato soup, tomato rice or tomato burfi(a sweet) or any curry - such as chickpea curry.

You will find the instructions here for How to make tomato puree.

You can of course use the store bought puree. But knowing how to make your own is always useful. You are not stuck for lack of tomato-puree.

And the making of puree of tomatoes is so easy, you will wonder why you bought it all these days.

red ripe tomatoes

If you grow your own tomatoes, You can make a large quantity and freeze it to use later when needed.

So here is how to turn the tomatoes into puree, and preserve the puree to use later without adding any chemical preservatives.

For homemade puree of tomatoes, choose nice red pulpy tomatoes.

Cut the top slice from the stem side of the tomatoes. Give a cross cut on only on the skin of other side of the tomatoes(do not give a deep cut).
Put water in a big pot to boil. When the water starts to boil, put all the tomatoes in the water. Switch the heat off.
Cover the pot. Leave the tomatoes in the water for 5 minutes.
Remove the tomatoes from the hot water and put them in a pot with cold water. Leave for 5 minutes.
Take out and now you can peel the skin off the tomatoes very easily by starting at the slit end.
Remove skin from all the tomatoes.
If you are planning to use the seeds and juicy portion of the tomatoes, put the tomatoes in the blender now and make into puree.
If you do not want the seeds, Cut the tomatoes in half. Remove the seeds and the juice part( use it for something else if you wish).
Puree the tomato halves now. You will get a thicker puree with this. This puree will also be darker red than the one with the seeds.
Boil the puree with vinegar, salt and sugar till you get the desired consistency.
When you make use of the puree later, remember to add less salt and sugar accordingly.

Store it by putting it in different sized containers as you need. Freeze till you need it.
You can pour it in ice cube trays, freeze. Once the cubes are set, remove from tray and store them in a zip-lock bag in your freezer.
Use the cubes as and when needed. Take out the needed no. of cubes from the freezer and use as you wish.
Once you de-freeze the puree cubes, use them up. Do not refreeze.