Fresh tomatoes are perishable vegetables used in preparing a variety of meals in Nigeria. Tomato production is largely done through irrigation in most states in northern Nigeria. This is because the rainy season does not favour the growth of the variety of tomatoes that we have in the country. The farmers, on their part, do not have such facilities like the green house which will enable them produce tomatoes during the rainy season. The result is that this commodity which is always cheap during the dry season becomes very expensive during the rainy season. Interestingly, the high cost of tomatoes during the rainy season does not in any way reduce its demand. This is so because most Nigerians do not like cooking with only canned tomatoes.
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Dry season is here again. A lot of people are already thinking of how they can preserve this cherished vegetable so that they won’t spend so much buying it when it’s off season. This is why tomato preservation is the theme of our tip of the day segment. Today, I’ll be sharing 3 ways of preserving tomatoes with you so that you can cut down your spending on this vegetable during the off season.
Sun-dry them
One way to preserve fresh tomatoes is to sun-dry them. Buy a basketful of tomatoes, put them in trays and when it’s sunny, take them out and let the sun do its job. Bear in mind that even though the weather is hot, sundrying cannot be done in a day. Just make sure there’s no moisture left in them when you’re done. Then store the tomatoes in airtight containers. When fresh tomatoes become scarce and you need to cook with your stash, you simply take out the quantity you need and grind.
Blend, boil, and freeze
The second method of preserving fresh tomatoes works more where there is constant power supply. Simply rinse the tomatoes thoroughly before blending. What I’m going to say now is not compulsory but when I use this method of preservation, I add shombo, onions and pepper to the tomatoes and I blend them all. This makes my job easier when I want to use it. After blending, boil till no moisture left in it. Turn off the heat and when the tomato paste cools, put it in a container and store it in the freezer. Frozen tomato paste can last as long as there’s constant power supply.
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Heat up tomatoes in glass jars
The third method of preserving tomatoes is the most popular method. It can last as long as one year without refrigeration. There are some similarities between this method of preservation and the second method but there are differences between the two methods as well. Asides from the tomatoes, another must-have requirement for this method of preservation is a glass jar.
Jam jars and mayonnaise jars will serve you well if you have them. Just make sure the caps are airtight. Having said that, rinse and blend the fresh tomatoes. Put the puree in a clean pot. Boil on medium heat until all the water in the tomatoes evaporates. Turn off the heat and when the paste cools, scoop into the jars and seal them with their caps. Put the jars containing the tomato paste in a pot of water. Please make sure the jars are completely submerged; afterwards, set the pot to boil on medium heat for about 15 minutes. Take the jars out of the pot and allow them to cool. Then store in a cool, dry place. Please note that once you open a jar, take out the quantity of tomato paste that you need and refrigerate the left over.
Sources:
Nairaland
Nigerian
Farming
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