Processing Tomato

In summer, tomatoes abound.  Thus, it is good to preserve them for future use especially when they are not in season. One of the ways of preserving them is by processing.

How to make Tomato Candy

Materials:

• Ripe, red tomatoes with thick flesh
• White sugar
• Jars

Procedure:

1. Wash, blanch in hot water and peel.
2. Slice crosswise in the middle, remove seeds.
3. Add sugar in the same volume as tomatoes and leave overnight.
4. Boil in low fire until the tomatoes become clear.
5. Drain the syrup.
6. Spread the candy on a tray and dry under the sun or in an oven (cabinet dryer) until almost dry.
7. Roll over white sugar and dry again until crispy.
8. Wrap each in cellophane or place in plastic bags or jars.  Seal.

How to Make Tomato Paste

Procedures:

1. Choose matured ripe and fresh tomatoes.
2. Immerse 1 or 2 times in boiled water for 2 minutes. Deep in cold water to remove the outer skin.
3. Remove the skin and slice lengthwise to remove the seeds.
4. Add the extracts to the pulp and boil for 10-15 minutes. Still occasionally.
5. Allow the pulp to pass through a coarse strainer while retaining the seeds.
6. Place the mixture in a container and boil for 15 minutes at slow fire.
7. For every kilo of the pulp mixture, add 1 tsp. salt.
8. Cook until desired consistency.
9. Transfer to sterilized bottles and boil uncovered for 45 minutes. Water level must be 2/3 full so as to avoid entry into the containers.
10. Close the containers tightly and boil again for 35 minutes. Cool and store in a dry place.

How to Make Tomato Catsup

Materials:

• 1/2 teaspoon Pepper (powdered)
• 1/2 quart Vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Cloves (powdered)
• 4 cups Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Allspice (powdered)
• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon (powdered)
• Tomato according to pulp needed

(All spice and the rest of the spices are wrapped in a small cloth bag).

Directions:

Ripe fleshy red tomatoes are used. They are washed thoroughly, cut into halves (crosswise). The seeds are separated, the pulp is cut into convenient pieces. It is strained and the seeds are discarded. The juice is mixed with the pulp. It is cooked in an enameled kettle, stirring now and then until the thin peelings have been separated and have rolled. It is then removed from the fire. The whole mixture is now strained through a metal strainer, preferably copperwire strainer, or better still, a coarse bamboo basket (with small holes), and all the pulp let to pass through. The pulp is measured. To every 4 quarts of the pulp the above items are added. The resulting mixture is put in a kettle (enameled), boiled, stirring constantly to avoid scorching until the right consistency for catsup is reached. The mixture is then poured into bottles, sterilized and covered tightly.