Tomato Chilli Jam, Best Vegan Condiment

Tomato chilli jam may just become your new favourite vegan condiment. This salty-sweet flavour explosion is highly versatile. Use it on burgers, sandwiches and pastas, as well as a side for chips, fritters, breakfasts and more. Jam is also extremely simple to make. Place the ingredients in a pot and allow them to bubble and caramelise for approximately 45 minutes. Make in bulk, store it in the fridge (for up to 2 weeks) and use the ruby substance on just about anything.

Expect a rollercoaster of flavours – sweet, acidic, spicy and salty. The addition of garlic and ginger creates subtle hints of complexity.

Let’s face it, some vegan meals lack taste. If an extra punch is needed, this tomato chilli jam recipe will fit the bill. The sweet, salty and spicy flavours work perfectly with any main meal, sandwich or side dish. Some recipe advantages:

• Easy to make, with easy to find ingredients (can even use overripe fruits)
• Tomatoes are a major source of the antioxidant, lycopene
• Extremely versatile, it will make just about any vegan meal better!

TOMATO HEALTH BENEFITS

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K1 and folate. They aid in blood pressure, blood clotting, normal tissue growth and optimal cell development. Their skins in particular are full of nutrients (so leave them on if possible). Rich in antioxidants, the ruby-red fruit is believed to reduce inflammation and bad cholesterol in the body.

The plant compound, Lycopene, not only gives tomatoes their bright red colour, but is associated with a host of other benefits. These include; skin protection from sun damage, improved heart health and a lower risk of certain types of cancer. Learn more about the health advantages of tomatoes here.

GET JAMMING

Making jam is super simple! Prepare the vegetables, add a decent amount of sugar and some complementary flavours (in this case, garlic and ginger). Let the ingredients bubble, melt and meld into a delicious sticky mixture.

Start by roughly chopping 5-6 large ripe tomatoes. Making jam is an excellent way of utilising fruit and vegetables that are overly ripe. You can remove the tomato skins if a smoother texture is desired. However, most of the nutrients are found here, and we personally prefer a chunkier, more textured mixture. Chop and deseed 4-6 large red chilles. If you want a hotter jam, leave the seeds in or use more chillies. To offset the sweetness, we prefer a spicier concoction. Finish the vegetable prep by peeling and crushing 2 cloves of garlic. Finely grate a thumb-sized piece of ginger and set aside.

Place the chopped tomatoes, chillies, garlic, ginger, 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in a pot. Any type of vinegar can be used, or even lemon juice for an acidic punch. Bring the ingredients to a boil, allowing them to melt, bubble and combine. Be sure to stir constantly to avoid sticking.

LET IT COOK (BUBBLE, CARAMELISE & SIMMER)

Once some caramelisation has occurred (after about 5 minutes), add 1 cup of water to the pot, mix and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Allow the mixture to cook for approximately 45 minutes. It is vital to stir it every 5-10 minutes to ensure that it doesn’t stick. Add more water if the pot becomes too dry. The end result should be broken down ingredients, with a sticky and chunky texture – see the image below. Taste to see if the optimal level of caramelisation has been achieved. Finish it off by adding salt and pepper to your liking.

SERVE IT UP (ON ANYTHING REALLY)

After the mixture has cooled in the pot, the tomato chilli jam can be transferred into glass jars. Store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks (depending on the coolness of your fridge). Enjoy your new favourite vegan condiment on or with a variety of dishes. Use it as a dip for potato chips, wedges, pastries and fritters. Spread it onto a sandwich or veggie burger. Have it as a side or extra topping for pizza, pasta and curries. It is even be enjoyed as a sweet-savory preserve for a cheese board (for non vegans) or crudites. Trust us when we say that it can be used on just about anything!

Tomato Chilli Jam

Save to BigOven

Yum

Print

Rate this recipe

1 2 3 4 5

12ratings

The Zest Kitchen

Category

Basics

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Jam made from tomatoes, chillies and sugar, along with a variety of flavours, such as garlic and ginger. This is the ultimate vegan condiment, used with breakfast, on burgers, sandwiches, pasta and as a side for chips and main meals/ 

Servings: 20

Serving Size: side sauce

Ingredients

• 5-6 large tomatoes
• 4-6 large red chillies
• 2 cloves garlic
• Thumb-sized piece of ginger
• 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Roughly chop 5-6 large tomatoes. Remove the tomato skins if a smoother texture is desired. Chop and deseed (if necessary) 4-6 red chilles. If you want a hotter jam, leave the seeds in or use more chillies.
2. Crush 2 cloves of garlic and finely grate a thumb-sized piece of ginger.
3. Place the chopped tomatoes, chillies, garlic, ginger, 1 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon white vinegar in a pot. Bring to the boil and allow the ingredients to melt and bubble. Stir to avoid sticking.
4. Add 1 cup of water to the pot and reduce to a gentle simmer.
5. Allow the mixture to cook for approximately 45 minutes, stirring the pot every 5-10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Once the jam has broken down and caramelised, let it cool down. Store in a jar for 1-2 weeks. Serve on pastas, sandwiches and more.

6.2.9

https://thezestkitchen.com/tomato-chilli-jam