Spicy Roasted Tomato Sauce

Name: Spicy Roasted Tomato Sauce
Yield: makes 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients: 3/4 pound ripe tomatoes; 1 medium-hot red chile, such as cayenne, Fresno, Holland, or jalapeño; 1 clove garlic, chopped; 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 3 tablespoons water; 1 teaspoon fresh lime or lemon juice (optional); 2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro or mint leaves; 1/4 teaspoon ground, toasted cumin seed or Sichuan peppercorn (optional)

December 9, 2011

When you present dumplings with this sauce, the combination may recall an Italian pasta dish, but the sauce’s zesty qualities resemble the Latin flavors of Mexico more than of Europe. But on closer analysis, the combination of chile, ginger, herbs, and spices is definitely Asian, specifically Nepal’s Himalayan cuisine, which blends Chinese, Indian, and Tibetan traditions. In the Nepalese repertoire, this sauce is a type of achar (a moniker for chutneys and pickles) and is what typically accompanies momo; it’s great with Tibetan momo, too. With a tangy edge, moderate heat, and spiced depth, the sauce has a multilayered punch that begins seemingly subtle but finishes with a certain feistiness. Sometimes ground toasted sesame seeds are added for richness, but I find that they mute the other flavors too much.

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