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Indian Vegetarian Recipes

Tomato Puree (Homemade & Without Preservatives)

https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/tomato-puree/

A handy jar of Tomato Puree is super helpful when making any tomato based dish. Here, I show you how to blanch the tomatoes and then puree them.

Make this super friendly homemade tomato puree and refrigerate or freeze it.

On Tomatoes

It is very easy to make homemade tomato puree. All you need are some fresh tomatoes. In fact you can use any type of tomatoes but make sure they are ripe.

Depending on the type of tomatoes, the consistency of the puree will be thin or thick. I use ripe, red and pulpy tomatoes which yield a thick puree.

Tomato Puree Shelf Life

This tomato puree is made without any preservatives. So the shelf life is about 12 to 15 days in the refrigerator and 3 to 4 months in the freezer.

So if you have bulk of tomatoes and don’t know what to do, then puree them and freeze in ice-trays. Add the frozen tomato puree cubes in any dish where tomatoes are an essential ingredient – pasta, sauces and much more.

I rarely make tomato puree as in India we have a year round supply of tomatoes. There have been very few occasions when I have made tomato puree.

However the situation that we are currently in – is actually making me do things which I have never done earlier – example, freezing vegetables, herbs and even fruits and many more.

How to make Tomato Puree

Prepping Tomatoes

1. Firstly rinse the tomatoes very well. I have used 1 kg of tomatoes. You can even make the puree with 250 grams or 500 grams of tomatoes. Using a paring knife or a small knife make a ½ inch criss-cross cut on the base of the tomatoes (not on the stalk side).

2. Now take a large pan and heat water in it. The water should be enough for the tomatoes to be immersed. I used 2 litre water for 1 kg of tomatoes. Make sure the tomatoes have space to move and are not over crowded in the pan.

3. Add salt. I have added 2 teaspoons of salt. You can easily halve or double the salt depending on the amount of tomatoes you are using.

4. Let the water come to a rolling boil on a high flame.

Blanching & Pureeing Tomatoes

5. Gently place the tomatoes in the hot water. Cook the tomatoes in the hot boiling water for 2 minutes.

6. Then switch off the flame and let the tomatoes be immersed in the hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Cover the pan. I do not shock the tomatoes in cold water, but if you want you can do that. Boil the tomatoes for 2 minutes in hot boiling water and then place them in cold water for 2 minutes.

7. Using a colander or strainer strain the tomatoes. Let them become warm or cool completely at room temperature.

8. Once the tomatoes are at room temperature, on a clean chopping board with clean hands, peel the skins and discard them.

9. Slice the eye part on the stalk part of the tomato and discard.

10. Using a clean chopping board and clean knife and with clean hands, chop the tomatoes roughly. If you have a powerful blender you can just throw in whole tomatoes in it. No need to chop them.

11. Add the chopped tomatoes in a blender jar or grinder jar.

12. Purée till smooth.

13. Place a bowl or pan beneath a juice strainer. Add the tomato pulp in the strainer.

14. While straining, stir with a spoon and press the pulp while stirring so that all the purée and pulp is strained leaving only the seeds in the strainer.

15. You will see a lovely red tomato puree collected in the bowl.

Storing Tomato Puree

16. Pour homemade tomato puree in a sterilized glass jar. To sterilize the jar, you can boil the jar and lid in hot boiling water for 5 minutes or rinse the jar and lid with hot water.

17. You can even pour in ice cubes trays. If you want you could cover the tray loosely with a parchment paper or foil before freezing. Once they are frozen, remove them and keep in an air-tight box or a sealed zip-lock bag in the freezer. Just pop in the cubes in any dish.

18. Add this homemade tomato puree in any dish where tomatoes are mandatory or where you want to bring some tangy flavor in the food. For canned tomato puree – pour the tomato puree in a sterilized canning jars. Seal the jars and boil them in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and let them cool. Later refrigerate.

Recipes with Tomato Puree

Brighten up your recipes by adding Tomato puree in them. I am sharing some recipes from the blog where tomato is one of the main ingredients. You can easily replace chopped tomatoes with tomato puree.

Handy Tip: Replace 1 medium sized tomato with ½ cup tomato puree.

Pasta

  1. Arrabiatta Pasta
  2. Red Sauce Pasta

Pizza Sauce

  1. Homemade Pizza Sauce
  2. Margherita Pizza
  3. Vegetable Pizza

Indian Recipes

  1. Tomato Rice
  2. Tomato Chutney
  3. Tomato Curry
  4. Tomato Dal

Soups

  1. Tomato Soup
  2. Cream of Tomato Soup
  3. Carrot & Tomato Soup
Many of my recipes have detailed step by step photos and useful tips to help you make it easily and perfectly.

Tomato Puree (Homemade & Without Preservatives)

Thick and pulpy Tomato Puree made from scratch. The recipe also shows how to blanch tomatoes.

Diet:gluten-free,vegan,vegetarian

Servings (change the number to scale):1
medium-sized jar

(1 CUP = 250 ML)

  • 1 kg tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 litres water

Prepping Tomatoes

  • Rinse the tomatoes very well. Give a ½ inch criss cross slit on the base of the tomatoes (not on the stalk side)
  • Bring water and salt to a rolling boil on high flame.

Blanching Tomatoes

  • Add the tomatoes.
  • Continue to cook on the same high flame for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes switch off the flame and let the tomatoes be immersed in the water for 10 to 15 minutes. When resting the tomatoes in the hot water, cover the pan with a lid.
  • Later using a colander strain the tomatoes.
  • Let them cool at room temperature.
  • Remove the peels and discard them. Slice the eye part on the stalk and discard.
  • Chop the tomatoes roughly.

Pureeing Tomatoes

  • Add the chopped tomatoes in a blender or grinder and puree them till smooth. Do not add any water while blending.
  • Strain the tomato puree through a juice strainer.
  • Stir and press the pulp with a spoon so that all the purée and pulp is strained leaving only the seeds.

Storing Tomato Puree

  • Pour in a sterilized glass jar and refrigerate.
  • You can even pour in ice cubes trays. Cover the tray loosely with a parchment paper or foil.
  • Freeze and use later. Just pop in the cubes in any dish that need tomato puree or tomatoes.
  • This homemade tomato puree stays good for 12 to 15 days in the refrigerator and 2 to 3 months in the freezer.
  1. Type of tomatoes: You can use any variety of tomatoes to make the puree. The consistency of the homemade puree will be thin or thick depending on the type of tomatoes added. But make sure that the tomatoes are ripe.
  2. Tangy & Sour Tomatoes: If the tomatoes are too tangy, then add 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar while blending.
  3. Freezing: For a long term storage, freeze the puree in ice cubes tray. When they are frozen, remove them and place in a steel container or box or ziplock bags. Seal the container or box tightly.
  4. Cleanliness: Do make sure that the chopping board, knife, juice strainer, bowl and your hands are clean.
  5. Sterilizing Jar: To sterilize the jar, you can boil the jar and lid in hot boiling water for 5 minutes or rinse the jar and lid with hot water.
  6. Canning: Add the tomato puree in a sterilized canning jars. Seal the jars and boil them in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and let them cool. Later refrigerate.
  7. Substituting Tomatoes with Tomato Puree: Replace 1 medium sized tomato with ½ cup tomato puree.

Nutrition Facts

Tomato Puree (Homemade & Without Preservatives)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 180 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Fat 2g3%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 4701mg204%

Potassium 2370mg68%

Carbohydrates 39g13%

Fiber 12g50%

Sugar 26g29%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 8330IU167%

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 6mg30%

Vitamin B6 1mg50%

Vitamin C 137mg166%

Vitamin E 5mg33%

Vitamin K 79µg75%

Calcium 100mg10%

Vitamin B9 (Folate) 150µg38%

Iron 3mg17%

Magnesium 110mg28%

Phosphorus 240mg24%

Zinc 2mg13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Indian Vegetarian Recipes

Paneer Tikka Masala

paneer curry served in a white bowl garnished with cilantro with naan in the background

Paneer Tikka Masala is a popular Indian curry where cubes of paneer (Indian cottage cheese), onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices, grilled and then tossed in a creamy tomato based curry. This dish goes extremely well with butter naan or paratha or basmati rice.

paneer curry served in a white bowl garnished with cilantro with naan in the background

About This Recipe

You know the most famous Indian food in the world? It is Chicken Tikka Masala, at least that’s what I think. You talk to anyone in the UK or USA and even if they don’t know much about Indian food they definitely know about chicken tikka masala. I think the dish is synonyms with Indian food in the west. The vegetarian version of it is of course Paneer Tikka Masala which is also quite popular and you would find it on the menu of most Indian restaurants.

Growing up in India, I had never heard of paneer tikka masala. Sure, we had paneer tikka but adding it to a curry was unknown, at least to me. I remember watching a MasterChef India episode some 10 years back which had chef Vikas Khanna and chef Kunal Kapoor talking about the origin of this dish. They also shared a recipe and so this recipe is inspired from their version.

They of course shared the recipe for chicken tikka masala but I changed it to paneer tikka masala and also made few changes depending on my preferences and availability. This recipe uses curry powder which is a common spice mix in the west (again this spice mix doesn’t even exist in India) and it makes sense since this dish originated in the UK. There are stories of how a chef added cream sauce to chicken tikka to please the taste buds of British people and that’s where it originated from.

There are 2 parts to this recipe- the tikka part where paneer, onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices and then grilled. You can cook the tikka in tandoor, oven or in your pan. The other part of the recipe is the curry which is a smooth curry made with onions, tomatoes, cream and butter. The grilled tikka is added to the curry and then served as a main course with side of bread.

This Paneer Tikka Masala

  • is super creamy, smooth.
  • goes well with naan, paratha.
  • makes a comforting meal.
  • leftovers are great as well!

Ingredients

There are 2 parts to this recipe- the paneer tikka and the curry.

ingredients for paneer tikka masala arranged on a board

Paneer Tikka

Paneer: you can use either homemade or store bought paneer but whatever paneer you use, it should be firm and be able to hold it’s shape. You can find paneer at Indian grocery stores or make it at home.

Yogurt: for the marinade, it is best to use thick yogurt. Either use Greek yogurt or if using regular yogurt, use store bought yogurt which tends to be thicker than homemade yogurt. If using homemade yogurt, strain it using a muslin cloth for at least 3 to 4 hours to get rid of all the excess water.

Spices: the marinade uses coriander powder, garam masala, two types of chili powder, ginger-garlic and lime juice. You can also use fresh herbs like cilantro, mint.

The Masala/Curry

Curry base: the base is made with onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic which is quite a staple for most creamy Indian curries. I like using white onion for that sweet, subtle flavor.

Spices: this paneer tikka masala recipe uses curry powder which is a mix of spices and is popular in the western world. It’s not so much popular in India actually, in fact I didn’t even know it existed until I moved out of India. If you don’t have it, you can use a blend of coriander, cumin, turmeric and ginger.

Flavor enhancers: to make the curry creamy, we finish the recipe with butter, cream and cilantro!

Step by Step Instructions

1- We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add yogurt (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon), make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe). To that add the following:

  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • juice of 1/2 lime

2- Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.

3- Now add 225 grams paneer (cubed into big cubes), 1 medium red onion (quartered and separated into petals) and 1 medium green pepper (cut into 1 inch cubes).

4- Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.

step by step picture collage of making paneer tikka masala

5- Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1-inch cinnamon stick.

6- Let the seeds sizzle and then add 1 large white onion (roughly chopped), 3 to 4 large garlic cloves, chopped and 1-inch chopped ginger.

7- Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.

8- Then add 3 large tomatoes (chopped) along with the following:

  • 1& 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
step by step picture collage of making paneer tikka masala

9- Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.

10- Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.

11- Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.

12- Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.

Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).

step by step picture collage of making paneer tikka masala

13- Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.

14- Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons cream and 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.

15- Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry.

16- Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.

step by step picture collage of making paneer tikka masala

Serving Suggestions

You can serve paneer tikka masala with the following:

  • Butter Naan: nothing like fluffy, soft homemade naan to dip into the curry.
  • Jeera rice: rice seasoned with cumin seeds makes the perfect pairing.
  • Roti: you can never go wrong with the classic Indian everyday bread.
  • Tandoori roti: another great bread to serve the curry with.
bowl of paneer tikka masala garnished with cilantro and spoons of spices placed on the side

Vegan Variation

For a vegan version of this recipe you can do the following substitutions:

  • use extra-firm tofu in place of paneer.
  • marinate the tofu with thick coconut milk (use the top part from the can) or vegan yogurt (plain almond milk works well).
  • replace butter with vegan butter.
  • replace heavy cream with coconut milk.

Tips & Notes

  • I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
  • Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added toward the end for that nice aroma.
  • If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
  • You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
plate with naan and a paneer curry

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Paneer Tikka same as Paneer Tikka Masala?

No they are different. Paneer Tikka is served as an appetizer and has cubes of grilled paneer where for paneer tikka masala the grilled paneer is added to a creamy curry and served as a main dish.

What can I substitute the curry powder with?

Go for a mix of coriander powder, turmeric, cumin and ginger. For replacing 1 u0026 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in this recipe, I would probably use 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger.

Is Paneer Tikka Masala same as Paneer Makhani?

They are both popular paneer recipes but the way you make them is different. For the tikka masala, we first marinate the paneer, grill it and then add to the curry. For the paneer makhani, the sauce is made with nuts, onions, tomatoes and then paneer pieces are added to it directly.

This post has been updated from the recipe archives, first published in April 2014. I have updated the recipe with better photos, videos and made slight modifications to make it better. The curry part of the recipe is same but I have added onions and peppers to the tikka part. If you wish to make it like the old recipe, just skip on the onions and peppers.

If you’ve tried this Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on FacebookInstagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen and on YouTube to watch my latest videos.

paneer curry served in a white bowl garnished with cilantro with naan in the background

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Paneer Tikka Masala

Paneer Tikka Masala is a popular Indian curry where spiced and grilled paneer tikka is added to a creamy curry. It is best enjoyed with warm naan!
Course Entree
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 367kcal
Author Manali

Ingredients

Paneer Tikka

  • 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp yogurt use thick plain whole milk yogurt which has been strained or Greek yogurt
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder for color
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
  • 1/2 lime juice of
  • 225 grams paneer cut into cubes
  • 1 medium red onion quartered and separated into petals
  • 1 medium green pepper cut into 1-inch cubes

Curry

  • 1 tablespoon oil I used avocado oil, use oil of choice
  • 2 tablespoons butter divided, unsalted or salted either works
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 1 large white onion roughly chopped, around 150 grams
  • 3-4 large garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 inch ginger chopped
  • 3 large tomatoes roughly chopped, around 400 grams
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder divided (for color, not hot)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sugar I used granulated white sugar
  • 1 cup water or more as needed
  • 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream 30-45 ml
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add thick yogurt, make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe or use Greek yogurt).
  • To that add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, red chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and juice of 1/2 lime.

    Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.

  • Now add cubed paneer, onion (quartered and separated into petals) and green pepper

    Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.

  • Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add cumin seeds and cinnamon stick.
  • Let the seeds sizzle and then add white onion (roughly chopped), chopped garlic cloves and chopped ginger. Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.
  • Then add the roughly chopped tomatoes along with curry powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste) and sugar. Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.
  • Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.
  • Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.

    Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.

    Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).

  • Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.
  • Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cream and chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry. Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.

Video

Notes

  1. I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
  2. Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added towards the end for that nice aroma.
  3. If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
  4. You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
  5. Older recipe: I have updated the recipe to make it better. The older recipe didn’t have onions and pepper added to the marinade and had a tablespoon of less butter in the curry. You can definitely use the old recipe, it’s almost same except these minor changes.

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 536mg | Potassium: 574mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1803IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 357mg | Iron: 1mg
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