by Sidonie Maroon, abluedotkitchen.com

Most Americans have a bottle of ketchup hanging around. Kids love it, but adults have mixed feelings. Some put it on everything from scrambled eggs to fries, while others glance in the fridge and wonder why it’s there? There are personality tests that’ll evaluate what kind of person you are depending on how you dip your fries. Are you a pour-over-the-top-and-drown them? A squeeze-the-packets-to-the-side, or dip-out-of-the-to-go-cup type?

Like most things we take for granted in the kitchen, ketchup has an adventurous past. This all American condiment came from China. Koe-cheup, in the Southern Min dialect, is a fermented sauce, using fish and soybeans — think tamari, miso and fish sauce rolled together. The ultimate in umami flavors and full of good probiotics and minerals. British traders loved it and brought it to England in the early 1700s.

The eighteenth century (one of my favorite culinary eras) was the hot spot for ketchup. Recipes featured ketchups made from oysters, mussels, mushrooms, walnuts, lemons, celery, and even plums or peaches. Cooks, boiled ketchup ingredients down into syrups or left them to sit in salt and ferment, creating spicy and flavorful sauces that would last for a long time.

So where does tomato ketchup come in? In 1812, a love apple (tomato) ketchup recipe, was written by Philadelphia scientist James Mease. The famous Heinz formula was introduced in 1876, using vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and spices. Heinz was also the first to use glass bottles, so customers could see what they were buying. Tomato ketchup soon became the standard in the U.S. and Europe, but with the rise of commercial ketchup, DIY recipes became rare.

Homemade tomato ketchup, as most things we make ourselves, is worthwhile. It’s not just sweet, but has layers of umami and spice that make it shine. Making ketchup from mushrooms is adventurous, while canning home ketchup from a bounty of summer tomatoes is love preserved.

What’s important in a good ketchup?

● Bring in umami flavors! Some wonderful ones are mushrooms, especially dried shitake; smoked or fermented fish, ripe tomatoes, fermented foods like shrimp pastes, fish sauce, soy sauce, and nutritional yeast.

● Highlight sweetness but not too sweet, just enough to carry the sauce. I use dates, coconut sugar, and/or molasses.

● Include sour choices like tamarind paste and vinegars

● Add spices such as allspice, cloves and cinnamon

● Use a touch of heat from garlic, ginger, onions, mustards, chilies or black pepper.

● Don’t forget salt. Use the saltiness of umami ingredients, and add sea salt to bring out flavors and balance the sauce.

Here’s a straightforward easy recipe that doesn’t require cooking or canning but will deliver big flavor. Enjoy!

Easy Homemade Ketchup

Makes 2 cups

Quick

The secret to a good Ketchup is lots of umami flavor, but balanced with the correct amounts of sweet, sour, heat and spice. This ketchup is easy to whip up and has so many uses.

Ingredients

6-ounce can of tomato paste

15-ounce can of tomato sauce

1 tablespoon tamari

1 tablespoon raw red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon “Red Boat” fish sauce (substitute same amount of dark miso, or mushroom powder for plant based)

2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

¼ cup coconut sugar

¼ cup dehydrated onion flakes

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender and mix until smooth. Store in a wide-mouthed jar. The Catsup will keep for 3 weeks in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.