Kasundi tomato relish

I was going to make something else for the blog this week but the Danish pastry I pulled from the oven Saturday morning was an unmitigated disaster. Happily, this recipe jumped out at me from the arts section of the Herald I was reading to console myself afterwards. Happily, I had most of the ingredients already. Happily, I was passing by the Chinatown fruit and vegetable markets on my way to a dinner at my friends' place Saturday night and was able to stock up on tomatoes and chillis. Happily, the cook at that dinner had some black mustard seeds to spare when I realised I didn't have any (and was too lazy to walk up to the shops to get some the next day). And so it all worked out in the end. I'll give the Danish another go sometime, but til then, slathering this incredible relish on a bacon and egg roll (or a curry, a jaffle, on a cracker with some cheese) makes me very happy indeed.




Kasundi tomato relish
From a Frank Camorra recipe, as published in the Sydney Morning Herald

I didn't have any hot paprika on hand so used chilli powder instead. I imagine you could also sub in cayenne pepper, or else leave it out altogether if you don't like it too spicy.


125g fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
16 garlic cloves, peeled
30g green chillis, seeds removed
250ml malt vinegar
125ml vegetable oil
5 tablespoons black mustard seeds
2 tablespoons ground turmeric
4 tablespoons ground cumin
4 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 kg tomatoes, tinned or fresh - ripe, puréed
125g brown sugar
1.5 tablespoons salt


Place the ginger, garlic, chillies and 50ml of the vinegar in a food processor and purée to a smooth paste. Heat hte oil in a frypan, add the dry spices and cook on a medium heat for five minutes. Add the ginger paste and cook for five minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt and remaining vinegar and simmer for an hour. When the oil comes to the top and it looks like a curry sauce, it is ready. Pour into sterilised jars and seal while hot for pantry storage (it will keep for a year); otherwise store in the fridge.