Tomatoes are an essential food item and are used in many dishes. However, tomatoes are not available all year round, so if you want to keep them fresh for longer, you need to store them properly.
How to choose and buy fresh and delicious tomatoes
Firstly, to store tomatoes properly, you should choose and buy good quality tomatoes through the following selection methods:
Naturally ripe tomatoes are usually red in color, have firm skin, and have green stems tightly attached to the fruit. If you look closely, you can see small bumps on the skin. When you touch ripe tomatoes, they should feel slightly soft.
How to choose and buy fresh and delicious tomatoes
Smell the tomatoes, if they have a distinctive fragrance, then they are naturally ripe tomatoes. If you don’t smell anything, they are probably forcefully ripened tomatoes.
When you cut the tomatoes, you should see white and yellow seeds instead of green ones. The flesh should be ripe, red, soft, and powdery. For this type of tomato, you should choose ripe and firm red or pink tomatoes. Avoid tomatoes that are bruised, too soft, or have wrinkled skin, as they are either overripe or have poor quality.
Tips for storing tomatoes for a long time, all year round
If you want to keep tomatoes fresh for a longer period of time, you can choose one of the following methods:
Store tomatoes in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator
It is not difficult to store tomatoes in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. However, if you want to store them in a way that keeps them fresh for a long time and doesn’t take up much space (as you have many other food items to store besides tomatoes), you need to know some tips.
Don’t put the entire bag of tomatoes in the freezer or the freezer compartment, as it takes up too much space. On the other hand, tomatoes that have been frozen and thawed will become soft, cracked, and visually unappealing, making it less pleasant to use them.
Storing tomatoes in the refrigerator
To solve the above two problems, you need to apply the following tips to prepare the tomatoes before freezing:
Clean the tomatoes, score a cross on the top part of the peel (symmetrical to the stem), and blanch them quickly in boiling water to peel the skin off without affecting the flesh.
Cut the tomatoes along the length to remove the seeds, then cut them into pieces and put them in a blender with a pinch of salt.
Pour the blended tomatoes into a pot, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the liquid evaporate slowly. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
When the mixture in the pot becomes thickened, turn off the heat, let it cool, then pour it into ice cube trays (preferably large-sized ones). After about 10-12 hours, take out the tomato ice cubes, put them in food storage bags, and store them in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator for later use.
You can store these tomato ice cubes for around 3-4 months. However, the flavor and nutritional value are better maintained during the first 2 months, so it’s recommended to use them within that time frame.
Note: With this method, you should consider the quantity of tomatoes to freeze, as you don’t want to store too many and take up too much space in the refrigerator, resulting in higher electricity costs. Moreover, tomatoes are not a rare or expensive fruit.
Store tomatoes by making tomato sauce
The steps for making tomato sauce are as follows:
After cleaning the tomatoes, you need to peel them by cutting a cross shape at the bottom of each tomato, then plunge them into boiling water for about 20 seconds, and remove them to peel off the skin.
Put the tomatoes in a blender with 4 tablespoons of salt, garlic, and chili, and blend them into a puree. Pass the tomato mixture through a sieve to remove all tomato skin and other residues.
Store tomatoes for a long time by making tomato sauce
Heat a pot over low heat, add the tomato puree, and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the tomato sauce starts boiling. During cooking, skim off any foam and stir occasionally to prevent burning. When the tomato sauce is cooked, turn off the heat, let it cool, then transfer it to storage containers. You can either enjoy it immediately or store it in the refrigerator.
Alternatively, you can pour a layer of boiled cooking oil on top of the tomato sauce to extend its shelf life.
Note: Use one jar at a time until it’s finished, and then move on to the next jar, this way the tomato sauce will last longer.
Source: VTC News
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