Red and Yellow Plum Tomato Chutney
This summer salsa accompanies fried tofu very well, and is also a great base for grain salads, such as the Quinoa Salad with Tomatoes and Cilantro.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS about 3 cups
- ⅓ cup sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 6 ripe red plum tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
- 6 ripe yellow plum tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
Mix sugar with ½ cup water in a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat until water is evaporated and molten sugar begins to turn golden brown. Pour in lemon juice to stop the sugar from cooking and bring it up from the bottom of the pan.
Add the chopped tomatoes and red onion. Simmer for no more than 5 minutes (this is to warm the tomatoes, not cook them). Remove from heat.
Allow to cool in a colander, letting the excess water released from the warmed tomatoes drain out. Stir in chopped cilantro.
Chopping Tender Herbs
Keep fresh herbs looking neat and clean by cutting them with a slicing action rather than a chopping motion. Even though recipes call for “chopped” leafy herbs, it's best to bunch gentle leaves like basil, oregano, or mint into small piles or stacks, then slice them against the cutting board with the sharpest knife you can find. If your knives are dull, snipping with scissors is a gentler action than chopping. Chopping can result in unattractive black edges, clumps, and rapid spoilage. Heartier herbs, such as fresh thyme, parsley, and rosemary can stand up to a rough chop.
