Canning Tikka Masala Simmer Sauce
There are very few things that are more comforting than a bubbling pot full of tikka masala, whether it be chicken, potato or chickpea based. It is equally true that nothing compares to the bliss that is eating homemade tikka masala on the couch in your jammies. With a few jars of this fragrant, hearty sauce on your shelves, it’ll take you longer to cook the rice than the tikka masala.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 large onions peeled and diced
- 12 large garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 2 tsp 10 g kosher salt
- 3 tbsp 22 g garam masala spice blend
- 6- inch 15-cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 3 fresh jalapeño peppers stems and seeds removed, minced
- 12 cups 1.9 kg cored, peeled, diced tomatoes
Instructions
- In a large, stainless steel stockpot or preserving pot over medium heat, stir together the olive oil, diced onions, minced garlic and salt. Sauté until the onions are partially translucent and have some small amounts of light golden brown around the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle the garam masala over the onions and stir well. Toast until the spice is fragrant and then stir in the ginger and minced jalapeño peppers. Stir and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the tomatoes to the pot and stir well, raising the heat to medium-high.
- Continue stirring until you bring the mixture to a boil. Take care to keep scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching, and drop the heat to low.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring well frequently.
- Ladle into pint (475 ml) jars, leaving a generous 1 inch (2.5 cm) headspace at the top of the jar. Use a chopstick to release any air bubbles in the jar and adjust the level, if needed, by adding more. Moisten a paper towel with vinegar and use to wipe the rims of the jars. Fix jar lids in place and tighten them appropriately.
- Process in a pressure canner according to the manufacturer’s instructions at 10 pounds of pressure for 30 minutes. Let the canner come back to atmospheric pressure naturally, then open the lid and transfer to a towel-lined rack to cool undisturbed for 24 hours. Remove any rings, wash and label the jars and store in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.
Notes
• If you want to make Tikka Masala Sauce and tomatoes aren’t in season, don’t be afraid! You can substitute canned diced tomatoes (regular OR fire-roasted) for the fresh tomatoes. It will still be wonderful!
• Garam masala is a lot easier to find in moderately stocked grocery stores than it used to be, but if you can’t lay hands on it locally, you can order it via Amazon.com OR make your own! Google is thick with homemade garam masala blends and it is mercifully constructed of easy-to-find individual components.
Altitude Adjustments for Tikka Masala Sauce
The total canning time does not change with altitude when pressure canning, but the pressure level does change at higher elevations. It also changes depending on the type of canner you're using. Be sure you know whether you're working with a dial gauge canner (presto type) or a weighted gauge canner (all-American type).Dial Gauge Canners:
- 0 to 2,000 feet in elevation use 11 pounds of pressure
- 2,001 to 4,000 feet in elevation use 12 pounds of pressure
- 4,001 to 6,000 feet in elevation use 13 pounds of pressure
- 6,001 to 8,000 feet in elevation use 14 pounds of pressure
Weighted Gauge Canners:
- 0 to 1,000 Feet in elevation use 10 pounds of pressure
- Above 1,000 Feet in elevation use 15 pounds of pressure