After a cry for help regarding the abundance of tomatoes in my vegie patch, I received the following comment from a reader named Jenny:
What about some kasundi with the next batch? We love it, and eat lots of it – with curries, as a marinade for meat, as a cooking sauce (thinned with bottled tomatoes), stirred into stews etc, with sour cream as a dip or topping, with cheese …
That is one big rap. I had never heard of “kasundi”, so off googling I went. I soon found a recipe on taste.com.au. A quick review and I was interested. I had all the ingredients. I am disinclined to make a preserve to use up a glut if I have to go out and buy a multitude of supplementary ingredients.
After a bit of reading, I soon discoved that kasundi is an Indian-style relish which is extremely versatile and easy to make. According to Karen Martini’s website:
Once you’ve got kasundi in the fridge, you’ll never want to be without it. Eat it with any barbecued meats, on fried eggs or slathered on a cheddar sandwich. It’s also nice with aged gruyere on toast or even spooned over steaming rice with a good dollop of yoghurt and a large handful of freshly picked herbs or cresses.
Time will tell whether it will infiltrate our diet to such an extent but I can vouch that it is great with eggs and with steak. I know someone else who likes it. I gave a jar to a friend this morning. She just text me to say they have already consumed half the jar.
This recipe is by Valli Little. I found it on taste.com.au. The recipe makes two cups of relish.
Ingredients:
- 60mls sunflower oil
- 1 tbs* black mustard seeds
- 1 tbs* turmeric
- 2 tbs* cumin
- 2 tsp* chilli powder
- ¼ cup fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 green chilli, seeded, finely chopped
- 30mls of malt vinegar
- 800g of peeled tomatoes, diced or 2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 130mls malt vinegar (extra)
*These are 20 mil tablespoons.
Method:
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan until hot. Add the mustard seeds, turmeric, cumin and chilli powder. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
- Add the ginger, garlic, chilli and the 30mls of malt vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the peeled and diced tomatoes, brown sugar, salt and the extra malt vinegar.
- Bring to the boil then gently simmer for 1-1 ½ hours. The kasundi is ready when the oil comes to the top.
Thanks for the inspiration, Jenny.
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I’ve been thinking of making kasundi for ages but hadn’t gone looking for a recipe…..yet. I agree with everyone else – it’s addictive. When it’s in the fridge it goes on cheese toasties, with cold meats, with BBQ’s….it never lasts too long.
Hi Nancy, Mine is already disappearing.
That’s an interesting one Glenda. Looks like you’ll work your way through those tomatoes yet. I like the name of this though & I think I’ll say it from now on after someone sneezes…Kasundi.
Now there is an idea Diane.
Kasundi would not last long in our house. No good pickle does. I especially like well spiced tomato pickles, and concur with Karen Martini’s suggestions 🙂
Hi Ella, This one is nice and spicy. The place smelled like a curry house when I was making it.
Kasaundi I haven not heard of before but I know they make something similar which you can find in the markets. Perfect for using up your glut of tomatoes. 🙂
Hi Moya, Absolutely, I tripled the recipe – that is 2.4 kilos of tomatoes.
I make kasaundi every summer, i love it with sausages from the BBQ! Much much better than common old tomato sauce…
Sandra you are so right. I have used on steak and loved it. Sausages next.
This condiment sounds right up my alley! Thanks Glenda (and Jenny)!
Give it a go Debi when you have excess tomatoes.