Ingredients:

2 kg tomatoes

500g shallots or onions

75g  fresh ginger root, peeled

6 garlic cloves, peeled

3-4 chillies, deseeded

6 celery stalks, with leaves if possible

For the spice bag:

2 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp crumbled mace blades

Then for every 1 litre (1 3/4 pints) of pulp:

250 ml cider vinegar

75g soft brown or white sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp sweet paprika

Method:

Coarsely chop the tomatoes, onion, ginger, garlic and chillies in a food processor.

Put the mixture into a preserving pan. Tie the celery stalks together with string and add to the pan with the spice bag. Bring to the boil then simmer for 25 minutes or until the onions are translucent.

Remove the celery and spice bag. Push the mixture through a sieve or food mill (this is where my electric mouli is a life saver).

Return to the cleaned pan and cook for three quarters of an hour to an hour or until reduced by half.

Measure the puree and add vinegar, sugar, salt and paprika. Boil again, stirring frequently, until reduced and thick. Oded says this can take up to an hour, I find it takes less time.

Pour into hot sterilised bottles, heat process, cool and check the seals. To be honest I don’t bother with the heat processing and I’ve never had a problem. However I don’t want anyone to poison themselves so I suggest you follow the instructions. The ketchup is ready straight away but improves with keeping. Refrigerate after opening.