Chilli Jam or nahm prik pao

Last summer when there was sun, my tomato crop prospered and many found their way to the freezer. They were frozen whole and yesterday I defrosted a kilo by simply pouring over a kettle of boiling water, after two minutes I added cold water and the skins were removed very easily.

So I made chilli jam or nahm prik pao in Thailand. This is an excellent addition to Thai cooking often used as a base for stir fry.  If you want the really authentic recipe try this outstanding book which on page 341 says "Chilli Jam - This rich nutty relish is often used as a dressing for Thai salads. It is normally diluted with a little coconut cream and the seasoning adjusted before use"

My recipe was a little more simple based on a recipe by Sarah Raven www.sarahraven.com a Sussex gardener, writer and TV presenter.

Blitz 250g tomatoes with 2 garlic cloves 4 large red chillies and a piece of root ginger in a food processor. Pour into a heavy based saucepan. Add 300g golden caster sugar, 2 tbs fish sauce and 100ml red wine vinegar.

Dice a further 250g on tomatoes and add to the pan. Simmer for 30 -40 minutes storing from time to time until the mixture is slightly darker and thicker.

Store in warm sterilised jars which will keep for three months in the fridge.

A couple of weeks ago I bought a chilli plant from Sainsburys it cost £3.50 and here it is. It does make you question whether growing from seed is really worth the effort.