Ketchup: Made in...China
Published 20 October, 2007, 07:04
It's a staple in home kitchens everywhere and Russia is no different – ketchup is often smeared over fries, burgers and chips. But you might be surprised to hear that the original recipe came from China, and not America or Britain.
For more than a thousand years a ketchup-like sauce formed the base of a variety of Chinese sauces for meat and fish dishes. It is sailors visiting from Europe who took the taste home, where it evolved into a tasty condiment to their own cuisine.
The first mention of ketchup, or tomato sauce, is in an American cookbook from the start of the 18th century. The recipe hasn’t changed much over the centuries and is essentially the same.
And cooks from Moscow’s 'Ancient Russia' restaurant have shown how simple it is to make nice ketchup all by yourself.
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