Tomato and chilli jam

Tomato and chilli jam is brilliant for toasties, ploughman’s, big breakfasts and brunches, or simply dolloping into noodle and rice dishes. This recipe makes enough for approximately four medium-sized jam jars.

INGREDIENTS

250g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

250g ripe tomatoes, finely chopped into 5mm dice, seeds left in - these will be added last.

4 red chillies, finely chopped, seeds left in if you like a lot of heat

1 stick lemon grass, trimmed and finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons chopped ginger

2 tbsp fish sauce

300g caster sugar

100ml red wine vinegar

Blend the roughly chopped tomatoes, chillies, lemon grass, garlic, ginger and fish sauce to a fine puree in a food processor.

Pour the puree in a large, heavy based saucepan and add the sugar and vinegar. Bring to the boil slowly, stirring continuously.

When it boils, turn it down to a gentle simmer and add the finely chopped tomatoes. Skim off any foam and cook gently for about 60 minutes, stirring frequently to release any solids that settle on the bottom. Use a bendy spatula if you have one, so you can constantly scrape the mixture from the side and bottom of the pan. Don’t be tempted to boil it furiously, the best chilli jam definitely takes a little patience!

When you get to a lovely, thick, jam-like consistency, pour the mixture into sterilised jars and allow to cool to room temperature before storing in the fridge. Once sealed, it will happily keep for a few weeks.