Recipes One

1.8kg/4lb very ripe tomatoes (I used two tins of plum tomatoes and 2lb of ripe tomatoes)

4 red chillies with their seeds

2 green chillies with their seeds

10 fat garlic cloves

5 thumbs of fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

80ml/2 1/2 fl oz Thai fish sauce

675g/1..5lb unrefined golden caster sugar

200ml/7floz red wine vinegar

Chop the whole fresh tomatoes into small dice and set aside. Put the tinned tomatoes into the food processor with the chillies and their seeds, garlic, ginger and fish sauce and blitz into a fine puree.

Spoon the puree into a deep, heavy-bottomed pan and add the sugar and wine vinegar.  Bring to the boil slowly, stirring as you go.  When it comes to the boil, turn down to a simmer and add the diced tomatoes.

Skim off any foam that rises to the surface and cook gently for up to 1 1/2 hours, stirring from time to time, to prevent the mixture catching and burning.  Scrape the sides of the pot too, so that everything cooks evenly.  The mixture thickens as it cooks - as it reduces and the pectin in the tomatoes takes effect.

When the mixture seem thick to the stir of a wooden spoon, decant it into warm, sterilised jars and seal.  

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