There are many different sauces and pastes that are indispensable in the kitchen. They are used to add flavor and color to a wide variety of dishes.
TOMATO PUREE/PASTE
This thick paste is the most intensely flavored of all the many tomato products, and is extremely useful for adding flavor and color to dishes. It is made from tomatoes, salt and citric acid and can vary in strength depending on the manufacturer. It is worth finding a brand of tomato
Puree that you like and sticking to it, because some brands are quite bitter and sharp, and others can be quite overpowering. Tomato puree should be used in small quantities as it can make a dish too acidic. To counteract acidity add a pinch or two of sugar. Tomato puree is normally available in tubes or in small cans. Both should be kept in the refrigerator once opened. Canned puree will last only 2-3 days once opened tomato puree in a tube can be kept for 3-4 weeks.
TOMATO KETCHUP
This sweet, vinegary, slightly spicy sauce is the classic condiment served with sausages, burgers and chips (fries). It is also extremely useful as a flavoring ingredient and can be added to soups, barbecue sauces and dressings. When added as a flavoring, tomato ketchup should be used in moderation as its pungent flavor can be quite over-powering and will drown more delicate flavors.
PISTOU
This basil sauce from the south of France is very similar to pesto, although it does not include grated cheese or pine nuts. It can be stirred into vegetable soups and used to dress boiled potatoes, steamed broccoli and grilled vegetables such as courgettes (zucchini) and aubergines (eggplant).
TAPENADE
This olive paste from Provence in the south of France is often served as a dip for crudites. The name tapenade is derived from the Provencal word for cape-tapeno. The paste is a delicious blend of pitted black olives, capers, anchovies, olive oil, lemon juice and, sometimes, a splash of brandy. Additional ingredients may include garlic, mustard, thyme, bay leaves, other aromatic herbs and even small pieces of tuna. It is a popular spread thinly on bread, served with grilled (broiled) meat or fish and used as a garnish for hard-boiled eggs. Hard-boiled quail's eggs served with a small dish of tapenade for dipping are very good served with drinks.
GARLIC PUREE/PASTE
There is now a variety of convenient, easy-to-use garlic products, including garlic puree in a tube, garlic paste that comes in small jars, and bottled whole garlic cloves, which have been skinned. Garlic puree and paste can be added to sauces, stir-fries, souffles, omelettes and tarts, or to any recipe where garlic is called for. It can also be simply spread on bread. Use sparingly at first until you can gauge the strength of the puree, but as a general rule, 5 ml 1 tsp is equivalent to 1 medium-size clove. To make a simple sauce for pasta, stir 2-3 tbsp of garlic puree into
150 ml 1/4 pint/2/3 cup of heated double (heavy) cream, season with salt and pepper, and add a little lemon juice and some chopped thyme or basil. Bottled garlic is normally served as an aperitif, or with canape's, in a similar way to cocktail onions.
ANCHOVY ESSENCE AND PASTE
Anchovy essence comes in familiar glass bottles and is useful for adding to fish dishes and sauces that are served with fish, adding a distinct, salt/fishy flavor. It can be mixed with soy sauce and used as a substitute for fish sauce, such as the Thai nam pla, which is widely used in Asian cooking. Anchovy paste comes in pots and is normally spread thinly on toast.
WALNUT AND MUSHROOM KETCHUP
These were once popular condiments, used for flavoring casseroles or for perking up soups and sauces. Both are a dark color and have a fairly robust flavor, so use judiciously with meat dishes or in well-flavored sauces.
WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
Despite its name, Worcestershire sauce was developed in India by the English. It was brought to Britain by Lord Marcus Sandys, an ex-Governor of Bengal. In 1835, he approached a chemist's shop in Worcester belonging to John Lea and William Perrins, and suggested they made a sauce from his recipe. The result was impossibly fiery, and the mixture was left in a barrel and forgotten. Then one day the chemists came across the barrel again. On trying the mixture a second time, they discovered that it had matured to a superb mellow-tasting liquid, and the sauce was born. Worcestershire sauce is still often referred to as Lea and Perrins. It is used to flavor meats, soups and vegetable dishes.
CHILI SAUCE/WEST INDIAN HOT PEPPER SAUCE/TABASCO SAUCE
There are numerous varieties of chili sauces, since each country that grows and uses the chili produces its own version. Tabasco sauce is a favorite North American seasoning made from extremely hot Tabasco or cone chilies. It has been made by the same family business in Louisiana since the nineteenth century. The original red version, made from red chilies, is still the most popular, but the green Tabasco sauce is also now widely available. The chilies, whatever their color, is mixed with salt and vinegar, then matured in white oak casks for several years. In the Caribbean there are also many styles of chili sauce. Most, like Tabasco, are made from steeping the chilies in vinegar and all are very hot. Chili sauces are widely used in small quantities as a general seasoning. Besides its use in the kitchen and as a condiment, Tabasco sauce is also used in a number of cocktails and may be substituted for Worcestershire sauce in a Bloody Mary to produce a spicier flavor. Most chili sauces are thick and bright red. They can range from sweet and mild to fiery hot. Many contain other ingredients, depending on where they come from, you will need to check the label to discover what these might include, and also to find out the heat index. Thai chili sauces, mainly used for dipping, are often quite sweet, but may also be very hot, while Chinese sauces, served with a wide variety of dishes, are usually fairly salty. Chili sauce can be added to stews, casseroles and curries, or simply used as a condiment at the table.
CHILI PASTE
The ready-made chili paste is sold in small jars and can be used, like chili sauce, for spicing up stews, bean dishes and curries. To make your own chili paste, halve and seed 10 hot chilies, then pound the flesh to a paste in a mortar with a pestle or process to a puree in a blender or food processor. Scrape the puree into a bowl and stir in 1 finely chopped onion, 10 ml/2 tsp finely grated fresh root ginger and salt to taste. Transfer to a clean jar and add the groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil to cover. Seal and store in a cool, dark place or the refrigerator for at least 2 months before using. The paste will keep for a long time, especially if you change the oil from time to time to prevent it from becoming rancid.
HARISSA
This hot chili puree comes from the Middle East and North Africa, where it is widely used as a condiment and, diluted with stock, water or fresh tomato sauce, to flavor couscous, soups and meat stews. In Tunisia, small dishes of harissa topped with olive oil are placed on the table at most meals. Pieces of flat bread are torn off and dipped into the mixture. Harissa is available from supermarkets and Middle Eastern stores, or you can make your own. A classic harissa paste is made from a blend of fresh red chilies, garlic, salt, ground coriander, ground cumin, dried mint, fresh coriander (cilantro) and sufficient olive oil to make a fairly stiff consistency. It should be left to stand for at least 12 hours before using.
There is a great deal of overlap with many store-cupboard (pantry) ingredients, and many foods that are distinctly Western in character are just as likely to turn up in Indian and Asian kitchens as in our own. Similarly, many Asian-style sauces and flavorings have become familiar in the West, but nevertheless they still belong to the Eastern-style of cooking.
CHILI BEAN PASTE
This is a Sichuan specialty made from a type of broad (fava) bean. There are several varieties of chili bean paste available, ranging from mild to hot, but all have a lovely "Beany" aroma with a rich flavor. While similar, chili bean paste and chili sauce are not interchangeable: each has its own distinct flavor and consistency. Chili bean paste is slightly thicker than chili sauce and is an indispensable seasoning in Sichuan cooking, the style from the West of China where hot, spicy foods predominate. It is used to add flavor to stir-fries and braised dishes. Chili bean paste must be heated before use and should not be served cold as a dipping sauce.
FISH SAUCE
This seasoning is widely used in Vietnamese and Thai cooking in much the same way that soy sauce is invaluable in the Chinese and Japanese cuisines. In Vietnam, it is usually made using shrimp, but in Thailand the sauce is more often made using salted fermented fish. All types of fish sauce have a very pungent flavor and aroma, although not excessively fishy, and they are extremely salty. The color of fish sauce can vary considerably; as a general rule, lighter-colored sauces are usually considered to be of a better quality than darker versions. Fish sauce is used extensively in all Southeast Asian cooking as a seasoning in many different savory dishes, including those made with meat. It is also used to make a popular dipping sauce, when it is blended with extra flavorings such as finely chopped garlic and fresh chilies, sugar and lime juice. As a general rule, about 30 ml/2 tbsp fish sauce is sufficient to season a curry or stew for 4-6 people. Thai fish sauce is widely available in supermarkets and Asian food stores, but the Vietnamese variety may be more difficult to find. If it is not available, soy sauce is an adequate substitute. Asian fish sauce is generally sold in either glass or plastic bottles. Once opened, it should be kept in a cool, dark place where it will keep for up to a year. Use before the expiry date.
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