Banana Ketchup

Ingredients

COOKING TIME: 30 mins

STORAGE: up to 2 months in the fridge, or up to 2 years if heat-processed

MAKES: 2-3 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) bottles

3-4 ripe bananas, sliced (about 350 g/12 oz)

1 onion, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves

3 cm (1¼ inch) knob of fresh ginger (optional)

1-2 chillies, chopped or 1 tsp chilli flakes

330 ml (11¼ fl oz/1⅓ cups) apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar /2 tsp salt

2-3 Tbsp vegetable oil

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp soy sauce

75 g (2½ oz/⅓ cup) brown sugar

1 Tbsp mixed ground spices (whatever you have in the pantry - cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, pepper)

Don't knock it till you've tried it. This condiment is huge in the Philippines, where it's served with fried rice, chicken dishes and grilled eggplant (broiled aubergine). You can use it as you would other ketchups and sauces - on sausages, fries, meatloaf and fish fingers - and it's perfect for using up overripe bananas.

Put the bananas, onion, garlic cloves, ginger (if using) chilli, 80 ml (2½ fl oz/⅓ cup) of the vinegar and the salt into a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth.

Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and add the banana mixture, another 1 cup (250 ml) of vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and mixed ground spices. Simmer for 20-30 mins over low heat, adding 2-3 tablespoons of water if the ketchup gets too thick or starts to stick to the pan. Once it's thick and glossy, pour into bottles, seal well and store in the fridge for up to 2 months.

If you want to store this in the pantry for up to 2 years, pour the hot ketchup into hot sterilised jars or bottles (see page 181), seal and heat-process (see page 180) for 15 mins.

Directions

Put the bananas, onion, garlic cloves, ginger (if using) chilli, 80 ml (2½ fl oz/⅓ cup) of the vinegar and the salt into a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth.

Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and add the banana mixture, another 1 cup (250 ml) of vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and mixed ground spices. Simmer for 20-30 mins over low heat, adding 2-3 tablespoons of water if the ketchup gets too thick or starts to stick to the pan. Once it's thick and glossy, pour into bottles, seal well and store in the fridge for up to 2 months.

If you want to store this in the pantry for up to 2 years, pour the hot ketchup into hot sterilised jars or bottles (see page 181), seal and heat-process (see page 180) for 15 mins.

Notes

I Pocket pickler