Costa Rican Banana Ketchup

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast the bananas: Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Leave the bananas in their peels and place them on a lined baking sheet. Roast for 15–20 minutes, until the skins are black and the fruit inside is very soft. Let them cool enough to handle, then split the skins and scoop out the fruit.

   20:00
2. 2

   Make achiote oil: Heat the oil and achiote seeds in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes, until the oil turns deep orange-red. Do not burn the seeds. Strain out and discard the seeds, returning the colored oil to the saucepan. If using achiote paste, skip this step and add the paste with the ginger later.

   03:00
3. 3

   Build the aromatic base: Add the onion and chile dulce to the achiote oil. Cook over medium-low heat for approximately 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, allspice, clove, optional chile panameño, and achiote paste if you didn't use seeds. Cook for another 30–60 seconds.

   05:00
4. 4

   Simmer: Add roasted banana, vinegar, water, two tablespoons of tapa de dulce, salt, and optional Salsa Lizano. Stir everything together and bring it to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat and cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring frequently.

   20:00
5. 5

   Blend: Remove the pan from the heat. Add the lime zest and blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth. If using a countertop blender, let the mixture cool slightly and vent the lid appropriately. For an especially refined consistency, push the blended ketchup through a fine-mesh strainer.

6. 6

   Balance the flavor: Let a spoonful cool before tasting it. Add lime juice for fresh acidity, more vinegar for sharper ketchup character, more tapa de dulce for sweetness, water for thinner consistency, salt or Salsa Lizano for savoriness, or more chile panameño for heat. The finished sauce should begin sweet, become tangy in the middle, and end with ginger, warm spice, and a little chile.