Canning Tikka Masala Simmer Sauce
Canning Tikka Masala Simmer Sauce is a shelf-stable tomato-based simmer sauce with warm curry spices and a smooth, thick texture. It is a great pantry shortcut for quick meals with chicken, chickpeas, paneer, or vegetables.
Servings: 20 servings, makes about 5 pints
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 pounds tomatoes weighed after peeling, coring & chopping, prepared weight, see notes
- 2 1/2 cups onions finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp ground coriander
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
For Acidification (per jar)
- Bottled lime juice 1 tablespoon per pint, or
- Citric acid 1/4 teaspoon per pint
Instructions
- Prepare a large stockpot, food mill, jars, lids, and your canner.
- Place the chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, ginger powder, garam masala, black pepper, cayenne, salt, and sugar into a large saucepan or stockpot. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Press the mixture through a food mill and discard the seeds and any skins that remain.
- Return the milled sauce to the pot and cook over medium-high heat until thick, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
- Add 1 tablespoon bottled lime juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid to each hot pint jar.
- Ladle the hot sauce into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, apply lids, and tighten bands to fingertip tight.
Waterbath Canning Instructions
- Process in a boiling water bath for 35 minutes for half-pints or pints under 1,000 feet in elevation. Between 1,000 and 6,000 feet, process for 40 minutes, and above 6,000 feet, process jars for 45 minutes.
Pressure Canning Instructions
- Alternatively, process in a pressure canner for 15 minutes for half-pints or pints at 11 pounds pressure in a dial-gauge canner or 10 pounds pressure in a weighted-gauge canner, adjusting pressure for altitude using standard pressure canning altitude adjustments.
- Remove the jars and let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Check seals before storing.
Notes
This recipe is tested for either waterbath or pressure canning. Choose your method and prepare your canner before you start filling your jars.
Keep the tomato to onion and garlic ratio the same for safety. The tomatoes are weighed after preparation (peeling and coring). Bernardin notes that 10 pounds prepared tomatoes is about 20 cups peeled, cored, and diced tomatoes. If using canned tomatoes, use five 28-ounce cans of peeled diced tomatoes with their juice included and not drained.
Lime juice is often included in Tikka Masala sauce, and recipes often include more lime juice than the acidification requirements for this recipe. You must acidify the jars with 1 Tbsp lime (or lemon) juice per pint, and that's true for both waterbath and pressure canning. It will not make the sauce taste too acidic, and depending on your tastes, you may want more acidity added at serving (serving with yogurt also adds a tang).
The spice mix can be adjusted to your taste, but changes should be limited to dry seasonings. Do not add extra low acid vegetables or wet seasonings (onions, peppers, fresh ginger, etc) to the mix.
The finished sauce is meant to be a simmer sauce, not a complete tikka masala with dairy included. Add cream, yogurt, butter, chicken, canned chickpeas, or paneer after opening and simmer together to cook through.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cups | Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 246mg | Potassium: 590mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2087IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg