
This tomato sauce is guaranteed to be a hit with your friends and family, and the best part is that it's 100% vegan and chock full of flavor! The hidden ingredients of turmeric and ginger bear a number of digestive and health benefits. In line with the Vaishnav yogic diet, the sauce does not use onion or garlic. You can use this as a pasta sauce, as a topping for samosas or simply as an alternative for ketchup!
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Pinch of asafetida (omit if gluten free)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced
1 carrot, finely grated
1/2 zucchini, finely grated
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 medium sized tomatoes (add 1/2 cup water when blending)
10 cashews and 10 almonds
1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional, feel free to omit)
1 tablespoon shredded coconut flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Fresh herbs: small handful of basil and cilantro, 2 sprigs of mint
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add cumin, turmeric, and asafetida, stir for 10 -15 seconds. Add the finely grated ginger, carrot and zucchini, stir. Add the tomato paste and a bit of water, continue to sauté for at least 5 minutes. Blend the remaining ingredients in a blender until they reach a creamy consistency (make two batches if you have a small blender): tomatoes, cashews, brown sugar, coconut flakes, lemon juice, water and herbs. Add the blended mixture to the sautéed vegetables. Stir thoroughly, let boil on a low heat for at least 15-20 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Finally, add water if sauce gets too thick.