Tomato Pepper Sauce

               My husband is a big fan of spicy food. Be it entrees, snacks or sauces, he prefers them to be really spicy. But at the same time, he doesn't like the one available in the stores as they are either too tangy for his taste or just the heat without any flavor. I ended up with more than 5 varieties of hot sauces in my refrigerator as he keeps buying different ones to find the right sauce for him.
                His passion for hot sauces motivated me to prepare it at home with the flavor, spiciness and the consistency that he likes. Here is my attempt at making the hot sauce:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chopped Tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped Onions
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 4 Jalapenos peppers
• 2-3 Serrano peppers
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp distilled White Vinegar
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Chop the peppers. The seeds are the spiciest so you can either remove all the seeds or use according to the heat desired
• Heat the Olive oil in a pan over medium heat
• Add chopped garlic and saute it for a minute, then add the onions and the peppers
• Saute it till the onions are soft and translucent 
• Now add the tomatoes, vinegar, lemon juice and salt 
• Cook until the tomatoes begin to soften 
• Then, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree it until smooth. Be very careful while pouring the hot mixture into the blender
• Now, sieve the puree using a fine sieve and extract out all the liquid. Use a wooden spoon to push away the solids
• Let the sauce cool to the room temperatures for about 1.5 – 2 hours before serving 
• You may freeze the sauce for a couple of months and use as needed. 
• I generally have a small container in refrigerator for daily use and freeze the rest so that it lasts longer 

Cilantro Chutney

         Cilantro chutney is a simple refreshing dip that can be used with a variety of grilled and fried dishes. It is also widely used as a spread for making sandwiches. A slice of bread with a little butter and cilantro chutney makes a great snack.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped Cilantro
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 4-5 Green Chilies
• 1 tsp finely chopped Ginger
• 8-10 Mint Leaves
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• Salt as per taste

Instructions:

• Add chillies, ginger, salt, sugar, lemon juice to the blender
• Then add cilantro and mint leaves
• Add little water if necessary. I generally prefer not to add water
• The consistency of the chutney should be like a spread and should be finely blended

Note:

• Ginger and Mint leaves are optional
• Green Chilies should be added as per the spiciness desired
• You can adjust the spice quantities according to your taste. We prefer our chutney to be spicy, but you can make it tangier or sweeter.
• I usually make it in a large quantity and freeze it in ice cube trays, or a container. Whenever needed, I defrost the chutney and use
• One important point here, if we freeze it right after making it, it will retain its bright green color and freshness.