Whether it’s pakoras, samosas, or kids' favorite pasta, the enjoyment of any snack feels incomplete without tomato sauce. Children often love eating sauce even with roti or parathas; however, store-bought sauces are packed with preservatives, chemicals, and excessive sugar, which are far from healthy.

So, why not make delicious sauce at home using fresh, red tomatoes this time? Yes, it is incredibly easy to make, completely pure, and tastes so amazing that once you try it, you’ll never want to buy it from the market again.

**Ingredients Required for Tomato Sauce**
To achieve that perfect market-style taste and color, you will need a few common ingredients found in your kitchen:

Tomatoes: 1 kg (deep red and ripe)
Ginger: 1-inch piece (chopped)
Garlic: 4–5 cloves (if you consume garlic)
Onion: 1 small (coarsely chopped)
Sugar: ½ cup or to taste
White vinegar: ¼ cup
Kashmiri red chili powder: 1 tsp
Garam masala: ½ tsp
Salt: To taste (½ tsp regular salt and a pinch of black salt)

**Easy Method to Make Tomato Sauce**
First, wash the tomatoes thoroughly and cut each one into quarters. Next, place the tomatoes, onion, ginger, and garlic in a deep pan or pressure cooker. Add half a cup of water and cook over a low flame for 10–15 minutes until the tomatoes become completely soft and tender.

Once the tomatoes are cooked through, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down completely. Make sure not to blend it while it is hot. After it has cooled, transfer the mixture to a mixer-grinder and blend it into a smooth, fine paste. To achieve a perfectly smooth and velvety texture—just like store-bought sauce—strain the paste thoroughly through a large sieve. Stir with a spoon while straining so that the tomato seeds and skins remain in the sieve, leaving you with a completely smooth pulp in the vessel.

Now, transfer the strained tomato pulp back into the pan or wok and place it on the stove. Once it begins to boil, add the sugar, both types of salt, Kashmiri red chili powder, and garam masala, mixing everything well. Stir occasionally to prevent it from burning.

As the mixture boils and starts to thicken, add the white vinegar. The vinegar imparts a slight tanginess—characteristic of commercial sauces—and helps preserve it for a longer period. Continue cooking until the sauce reaches the consistency of store-bought sauce.

There is a very simple way to check if the sauce is cooked properly. Pour a little hot sauce onto a clean plate and tilt the plate slightly. If water separates and runs from the sauce, it needs further cooking; however, if the sauce holds its shape without releasing water, it is ready.

Allow the sauce to cool completely before storing it in a clean, dry, airtight glass bottle or jar.
Wash the glass bottle with hot water and dry it thoroughly before use to prevent fungal growth in the sauce.
You can easily store this homemade sauce in the refrigerator and use it for one to two months.

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