Hajar's Wicked Sauce Tomatish!

Submitted by Hajar Elizabeth

"THE ubiquitous sauce of Morocco! Whether a version such as this one or simply thinned down tomato concentrate/paste it is everywhere. Made at home 2-5 times a week and more like 3-6 times at my home! We adore this sauce which is actually meant for dipping your bread into and then scooping up a piece of meat or veg. from the communal platter. It is also served with homemade french fries,poured into hot sandwiches and mixed into spaghetti/macaroni,rice. c.2005"

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 8 ounces tomato paste or 8 ounces tomato concentrate
• 6 ounces water, plus extra for more thinning as necessary
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, chopped finely
• 1 cup sweet white onions, chopped finely or 1/2 cup onion, grated
• 2 fresh tomatoes, grated and set aside
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh black pepper, oh go on and heap it just a bit
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1⁄2 lemon, juice of

directions

1. In a skillet or heavy bottomed saucepan place the oil, onions, garlic, parsley, coriander, salt and pepper. *Then* turn your burner or flame to low and saute until soft and translucent with no browning at all, stirring occasionally. Add paprika and allow to blend over heat for 1 minute.
2. Add grated tomato, stir to blend.
3. Turn heat up to med and add tomato paste. Stir and blend with other ingredients for 30 seconds. Add water and stir well. Add lemon juice to suit.
4. Turn heat to med-high and bring to a bubble adding more water to reach your desired consistency. Here is personal choice time. Acceptable sauce tomatish can run from nearly "chicken broth" thin to as thick as canned tomato sauce and just a bit thicker. I like mine on the thicker end of the scale though sauce tomatish is never so thick that it doesn't slide nicely from the spoon.

Reviews

[JustJanS]

I enjoy tomatoes in anything, so I had to like this sauce. I made it to the recipe, tasted it, then decided to add a couple of teaspoons of ground coriander, 1 of cumin, one of sugar and 1 of lemon juice. I took note and heaped the black pepper in ;-). It's tomatoey (obviously), and fresh and lively tasting-I love it! I'm now cooking lamb shanks in most of the sauce (good idea kdlpmum), but have held some back to dip our bread in and try with our green veg. Since talking to Hajar, I relise this is a sauce used as a condiment, rather than a cooking sauce. It worked great, but really was better for dipping bread in and as a fresh sauce over our vegetables.

 

[UmmBinat]

This was 5 stars to me but I dont think DH liked it. I very finnly chopped the sweet white onion in a small blender. I did not use fresh coriander as I didnt have any so I put in some ground coriander instead. I used sweet paprika, sea salt and a lot less freshly ground black pepper. I forgot the lemon juice at the end since dinner was in a rush. I wont be able to make this again but do recommend it being tried.

 

[Habibi]

This was okay, but I found it quite bland and flavorless. The only real flavor was that of the tomato paste (a very metallic flavor, usually there's something to cover it up). I'm sorry but I will not be making this again.

 

[Pinaygourmet 345142]

This is really wicked! Loved it!

 

[Syrinx]

Enjoyed this very much. I used smoked paprika instead of the regular sort, and it came out very well.