The concentrated liquid seasoning popular in European cuisine, bearing the name of the English county of Worcestershire, gives any even the simplest dishes a subtle, but still exquisite piquancy. If you, like a true foodie, are desperately looking for it in the local shops but can't find it, make the Worcestershire sauce yourself.
Worcestershire sauce ingredients
For the recipe, you will need the following foods and spices:
- 1 anchovy (fillet);
- 1 medium onion;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 30 g fresh or 1 tsp dried ground ginger;
- 400 ml of acetic acid;
- 200 ml of water;
- 100 ml of soy sauce;
- 50 g of tamarind paste;
- 3 tbsp. salt and mustard seeds;
- 1 tsp each black peppercorns and dried cloves;
- 0.5 tsp each red pepper, cardamom, curry and ground cinnamon;
- 200 g of white sugar.
Utensils and aids:
- a saucepan with a capacity of 3-4 liters;
- gauze cut measuring 45x30 cm;
- a glass jar with a capacity of 1.5-2 liters with a lid;
- thick harsh thread;
- small glass bottles for sauce storage (optimal - 100-120 ml).
Making Worcestershire Sauce
Dissolve a couple of tablespoons of acetic acid in 100 ml of water. Remove the husks from the onion, cut into cubes, soak in sour marinade for half an hour, then discard in a fine-mesh colander. Peel the garlic cloves and ginger root and chop. Chop the anchovy fillets finely with a knife.
Fold a piece of cheesecloth several times, getting a thick multi-layered cloth 10x15 cm. Put in the middle of the previously prepared food along with dried cloves, mustard seeds, cinnamon, cardamom and two types of pepper. Align the edges of the fabric to form a pouch, and tie them tightly with thread.
Take a saucepan and mix the tamarind paste, remaining acetic acid and soy sauce in it. Put white sugar in there and that's it
stir well. Place a knot of spices in this mass and boil it over medium heat, then cook for 30 minutes over low heat. Pour 100 ml of water into a separate bowl, dissolve salt, curry in it, add anchovy and carefully pour it all into a saucepan. Keep it on the stove for another 3-4 minutes and set aside.
Let the sauce cool completely, fill the jar with it, put the bag in the same place, close the airtight lid and refrigerate. Squeeze the knot daily for 10 days with clean hands and mix the contents of the glass container thoroughly with a spatula or wooden spoon. Discard the gauze roll and bottle the Worcestershire sauce you made. Shake the liquid seasoning each time you take it out for your culinary needs. Do not overuse it, just a few drops are enough to enrich the taste of a dish or drink.
