The first version of this dip was based on pickled fish and looked more like soy sauce – with a dark and thin texture!
A person like me who can eat this DIP with anything would have revolted at the original DIP!
It was called “keh-jup” or “koe-cheup,” meaning “fish sauce.” Are you getting the name now!?
Thanks to the fermentation, the sauce was easy to conserve and could make a long journey.
So, eventually, at the beginning of the 18th century, British and Dutch merchants brought this to Europe!
In Britain, this dip was based primarily on mushrooms and enriched with oysters, anchovies, and even walnuts.
The first name of “catsup” officially appeared in Britain in 1690! That is closer to the name of the DIP we use!
American horticulturist James Mease created the first known recipe for this dip ketchup in 1812.
His version of sauce included brandy but lacked regular vinegar and sugar!
Later farmers primarily prepared this dip and were happy to find another way of conserving tomatoes!
Did you get to know the DIP?
The Tomato ketchup!
Early tomato recipes struggled with spoilage, but in 1876, the H.J. Heinz Company popularized a shelf-stable formula using tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and spices!
This is the ketchup which we use now and is the most popular DIP in the world! You can pair it with anything! I have paired ketchup with even idli! Apart from the routine pairing like noodles or fried rice; you can try to pair it with vermicilli! It really elevates the taste!
Now I do prefer the hot and sweet tomato chilli sauce though! Its better and different and since I only have it once in a while, it is special!
So you may wonder what is the difference between a tomato sauce and ketchup? Well, ketchup is a sweet, cold condiment made with vinegar and sugar, while tomato sauce is a savory cooking ingredient made from tomatoes, herbs, and oil without added vinegar!
The vinegar makes all the difference! Now do not pair the sauce or ketchup with the Onam sadya though since that does not need any enriching or flavouring agent!
Then again full of flavours and freshness were movies by Madhur Bhandarkar!
Now have that Sadya and sleep after some time though the payasam may make you sleepy!
Happy onam!
Shub ratri…
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