How to cook delicious and aromatic squash caviar at home. Step-by-step recipe with a photo. Technology, subtleties and secrets. Video recipe.
The sunny summer days are getting closer and closer, which means it's time to prepare a variety of seasonal vegetable snacks. Today, zucchini is on the agenda, which is usually a very large harvest, and many housewives do not know where to dispose of it. Of the huge number of different recipes with zucchini, caviar remains one of the most popular from the post-Soviet space. It is believed that the easiest way to buy squash caviar is from a store. However, the homemade version of this appetizer turns out to be no less tasty, and most importantly, healthier. Although, in terms of taste, it deviates slightly from the industrial original.
In general, as you understand, today I have a dietary and healthy dish - squash caviar. How to properly and tasty cook squash caviar at home, we learn in this review. The recipe was adapted by me to modern realities. It does not take much time to prepare it. And it is suitable not only for fans of healthy and healthy nutrition, but also for those who are fasting. Ready-made homemade squash caviar prepared according to this recipe will not leave anyone indifferent.
- Caloric content per 100 g - 52 kcal.
- Servings - 1
- Cooking time - 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Zucchini - 2 pcs.
- Carrots - 1 pc.
- Salt - 1 tsp or to taste
- Sugar - 1 tsp
- Tomatoes - 2-3 pcs. depending on the size
- Garlic - 2 cloves
- Ground black pepper - pinch or to taste
- Vegetable oil - for frying
- Onions - 1 pc.
Step by step cooking of squash caviar:
1. Peel the onions, wash and cut into cubes of any size. The cutting method is not important, since in the future, the vegetables will be chopped.
Heat a frying pan with vegetable oil well and send the onions into it.
2. Peel the carrots, wash, cut into slices and send to the pan with onions.
3. Wash the zucchini, cut into slices and add to the pan with vegetables. The order in which vegetables are placed in the pan is not important. Stir the food and fry over medium heat for 10 minutes until light golden brown, stirring occasionally. The main thing is not to fry the vegetables too much. Otherwise, the caviar will have an overcooked aftertaste.
If you are using young zucchini, then you do not need to peel them. If you cook from old fruits (usually in late summer and early autumn), then peel them and free them from seeds.
4. Cut the washed tomatoes into small cubes and send them to the pan with the vegetables. I have orange tomatoes (which were in the fridge). You can take red ones. The main thing is that they are juicy and meaty. You can replace tomatoes or add tomato paste.
5. Season vegetables with salt, sugar, black pepper and minced garlic. You can also add other spices if desired, for example, ground sweet paprika. I will also add some canned vegetable seasoning.
6. Add half a glass of water to the pan and bring to a boil.
7. Cover the pan with a lid, simmer and simmer vegetables for 20-30 minutes until tender. The softer they are, the more uniform and tender the squash caviar will turn out. Stir the contents of the pan every 3-4 minutes. The braising time depends on the size of the pieces. The smaller they are, the less time it will take to extinguish.
8. Transfer the vegetable mass from the pan to a deep bowl and purée with a blender until smooth. If the resulting consistency suits you, then the caviar is ready. If you want to make caviar thicker, put it in a pan and simmer without a lid until the desired consistency is obtained, i.e.just evaporate the excess moisture.
Let the caviar have a rich taste, let it brew in the refrigerator for 24 hours. In the refrigerator, it can be stored for up to 10-14 days. Ready squash caviar is served as a cold appetizer, spread on crispy fresh bread. It is used as an addition to pasta, pasta, mashed potatoes, or simply eaten with spoons.
But if you are going to prepare it for the winter, then bring the caviar to a boil. Add vinegar (1 tablespoon), stir and pour hot into sterilized jars. Close them with sterilized lids, turn the jars over to the lids, wrap them in a warm blanket and leave to cool completely. Thus, the caviar will be preserved for a whole year. To prepare caviar for the winter, it is advisable to take mature zucchini, they have a richer taste. It is better to collect them in August-September.
