Iftar with Sauce

"If tomatoes are classified as a fruit, isn't ketchup technically a smoothie?"  They are probably the best version of tomatoes. Tomato sauces are the base for all manner of ketchup, barbecue sauces, chilli sauces, etc. Chilli sauces, on the other hand, are sharp, hot, but have more body and balance. The heat from the chillies explode across your tongue to the back of your throat and leaves you mouth and lips buzzing like a fire alarm. Ketchup, with its many many variations on flavours, and level of spice, is a condiment that can more or less compliment any kind of food you have on the table, so long as you are reasonable and not dip any sweets in it. This vast compatibility makes it a perfect addition to the table during iftars. Let's face it, after all that's said and done about healthy food at the iftar table, there is bound to be something fried and spicy that just begs to be dipped in the tantalising red condiment. And can you ever really enjoy French fries without its perfect match, the ketchup?

Of course, it's easy to argue that good food is good in its own right and that adding ketchup to it is just an acquired taste, but the magic of ketchup doesn't stop there. Imagine you buy yourself some samosas from the roadside shop, because you were hankering for some, but you find it not that great. What do you do? Add ketchup obviously.

PRAN'S variation of sauces, with highlights such as the green chilli, and the hot tomato sauce, guarantees that regardless of which way your taste bud swings, there is a sauce to pair with your food.  

Just a spoonful of these sauces can elevate the flavours of several dishes. Down below, are a number of extremely mouth watering dishes with tomato and chilli sauces that epitomize the term "comfort food."

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients

For marinade

500g boneless chicken, cut into pieces

½ cup PRAN tomato sauce

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

3 tbsp red chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp black salt

2 tbsp yogurt

½ tsp garam masala powder

¼ tsp carom seeds

2 tbsp lemon juice

½ tbsp chickpeas flour

½ tsp crushed red chillies

For gravy

4 medium onions, ½ cup oil

2 green capsicums, cut into 1 inch pieces

4 medium tomatoes seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces

1-inch ginger chopped

10 garlic cloves chopped

1 tbsp coriander powder

¼ cup mawa

¼ tsp cardamom powder

½ tsp dried fenugreek leaves

2 tbsp fresh cream

2 tbsp honey

Method

Place chicken in a bowl, add all the marinade ingredients and mix well. Let them marinate for 1-2 hours. Heat oil in a flat nonstick pan, add the chicken pieces and cook for 3-4 minutes on high heat.

For gravy, chop 2 onions. Cube the remaining 2 and separate layers. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in another nonstick pan, add cubed onion layers, capsicum and tomatoes. Sauté for 2 minutes. Transfer into a bowl. Turn over the chicken pieces in the first pan and let the other side cook. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the second pan and add cumin seeds. When they begin to change colour, add chopped onions and sauté. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and sauté. Add coriander powder, a pinch of turmeric powder and sauté for a minute. Add tomato sauce and mix. Add mawa, salt, red chilli powder, green cardamom powder, fenugreek leaves and mix and continue to stir till oil begins to separate. Add chicken pieces and mix. Add fresh cream, honey and capsicum. Mix well and remove from heat.

Hot wings

Ingredients

¼ cup PRAN hot chilli sauce

12 whole chicken wings

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp ginger, minced

½ cup all purpose flour

¼ tsp paprika

Oil for deep fry

½ tsp ground black pepper

Method

In a small bowl mix together the flour, paprika, black pepper and salt. Place chicken wings in a large glass bowl and sprinkle with the flour mixture until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes. Combine the butter, PRAN hot chilli sauce, pepper, and garlic in a small pan over low heat. Stir together and heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and reserve for serving. Heat oil in a pan, fry coated wings in hot oil for 10-15 minutes or till brown. Place wings in serving bowl, add the hot sauce mixture and stir together and serve.

Eggplants Casserole Ingredients

2 eggplants, cut into ½ - inch thick slices

¼ cup PRAN tomato sauce

1 tbsp PRAN chilli sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

½ cup mushrooms, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 tsp dried basil

¾ tsp dried oregano

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 cup cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 220 °C. Brush about 2 tablespoons olive oil onto eggplant slices, and arrange in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven until eggplant is tender and browned. Remove eggplant from oven and reduce temperature to 175 °C. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat, cook and stir onion, mushrooms and garlic until onion is softened. Add PRAN tomato sauce, PRAN chilli sauce, basil and oregano, and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is slightly reduced. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange about half of the eggplant slices in a 2-quart casserole dish, top with half the sauce, and half the cheese. Repeat layering with the ingredients. Bake in a preheated oven until hot and bubbling-- about 25 minutes. Cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Food and styling: LS Desk