Tambayan ng Kaalaman Tungkol sa Pilipinas
Bit of Imagination Turns Banana Peel to Big Savings
Do you know that banana peel can be made into wine, vinegar and even banana sauce? Through the National Institute of Science and Technology, TRC shares with you three (3) procedures of banana peel recycling. With a little imagination and wise use of free time, a family can generate savings and perhaps earn a little from this garbage-recycling.
by Georgia Hodgin
BAR digest, June 1999
A plant of the New World, the tomato is native to the Andes, in particular Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. Early explorers took seeds to Europe where tomatoes remained ornamental for many years. Botanists correctly classified them with the poisonous nightshade family and assumed that they too were deadly, when in reality only the leaves and stems are toxic. Even in the mid-19th century North Americans refused to eat them. Cookbooks said they should be cooked for three hours. The general population developed a taste for raw tomatoes in the 20th century.
Technically, the tomato is a fruit, since it is classified botanically as a berry. Typically in meal planning it is used as a vegetable. Today, tomatoes are used in diets around the world in a variety of ways. Italians use them in sauces and salads. Americans slice them for sandwiches, dice them for salads, stuff them with egg salad, and cook them with sugar and spice for ketchup. Mexicans mince them with cilantro, onions and chilies for salsa.
The French use them in ratatouille, the Spanish in gazpacho. The Swedes use tomato paste in their smorgasbords; and the Norwegians flavor a spread with them. Fried green tomatoes are part of the cuisine of the American South, while New Englanders bake them in sweet green tomato pie.
Tomatoes provide a variety of nutrients for very few calories. At 35 calories, a raw medium-sized tomato has two grams of fiber, which compares to eight grams in an ear of corn, or five grams in a half-cup of green peas, or three grams in a half-cup of broccoli. Half of the vitamin C requirements for a day can come from a medium-sized tomato. It is an excellent source of beta-carotene, potassium, iron and the antioxidant lycopene. 
(Source: Health and Home September October 1998, P. 13 )
We all have heard of banana catsup which is very popular in the Philippines. Well, have you heard of squash catsup? This only show how health conscious we are. We are trying to incorporate vegetable in our diet in every possible ways we can. We all know catsup is usually used with meat products. And by using a vegetable as a base of catsup we can then intake vegetables with our favorite meat dishes. Here’s how they do this trick:
SQUASH CATSUP
Ingredients:
4 cups squash, pureed
1 c red sweet pepper, chopped
1/3 c onions, chopped
1 tbsp. garlic, chopped
2½ c vinegar
3 c sugar
3 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp. water and boiled
2 tsp. grand black pepper ½ strawberry red coloring dissolved in 1/4 c water, 12 drops allspice solution
12 drops cinnamon solution
4 drops paprika solution
2 drops hot pepper extract Utensils:
household cups funnel
teaspoon ladle
tablespoon
knife steamer strainer or cheesecloth
aluminum tray or any wide container
wide-mouthed deep cooking pot
sterilized bottles with caps How to Prepare Stock Spice Continue reading “How to make Squash Catsup/ ketsup”
According to wikipedia ketchup /catsup like sauce originated in Eastern Asia. American’s and Europeans brought the technology into their country and tried to improve on it. Currently, one of the biggest distributor of ketchup is Heinz. And if you want to follow the footstep of Heinz you could try this recipe:
HOME MADE TOMATO CATSUP
Ingredients and Materials:
Tomato acc. to pulp needed
Vinegar ½ quart
Sugar 4 cups Continue reading “Tomato Ketchup / Catsup Business”