Brown sauce

A spicy, tangy sauce that is brilliant with sausages. Tamarind, a sour pulp from inside the pods of the tamarind tree, comes both as ready-made purée, and in hard, dark brown blocks – if you can get the block, dissolve 50g in 60ml boiling water, then sieve and use instead of the purée.

MAKES ABOUT 800ML INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp vegetable oil

200g chopped onions 200g dates, pitted

600g cooking apples, cored and chopped (no need to peel)

2 tsp Tabasco or other hot chilli sauce

500ml balsamic vinegar 200g dark muscovado sugar 3 tbsp tamarind purée

40g grated fresh ginger

4 cloves

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

METHOD

Heat the oil in the pan and add the onion and 1 tsp salt. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the rest of ingredients.

Simmer for half an hour, until the apple is soft and collapsing. Purée in a blender, and rub through a sieve if necessary. Season with salt and a dash of vinegar.

Pour into sterilised jars and store in fridge for up to six months.