Matt's Relish

An old-school, sweet-tangy tomato relish with soft-cooked onions and a gentle mustard bite—perfect on sausages, burgers, and cheese boards.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) ripe tomatoes, chopped (no need to peel)
• 2 large brown onions, finely diced
• 1 large green capsicum (bell pepper), finely diced
• 1/4 cup (70 g) coarse salt (for draining)
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups (310 ml) white vinegar
• 2 tbsp mustard powder
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 3 tbsp water

Method

• 1

  Step 1: Salt & drain the veg (old-school secret for a thick relish)

  Put the chopped tomatoes, onion, and capsicum in a large bowl. Sprinkle over the salt and toss well. Cover and leave for **1 hour** (or up to 2 hours) to draw out water. Tip into a colander and **rinse briefly under cold water** to remove excess salt, then let it drain well for **5 minutes** (give it a gentle shake to shed liquid).

• 2

  Step 2: Start the relish base

  Transfer drained veg to a large heavy-based pot. Add **sugar** and **vinegar**. Stir over **medium heat** until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks glossy and wet, about **3–5 minutes**.

• 3

  Step 3: Simmer until soft and jammy

  Bring to a steady simmer, then reduce heat to **medium-low** so it bubbles gently. Cook **45–60 minutes**, stirring every 10 minutes (more often towards the end), until the onions are very soft and the mixture has reduced.

• 4

  Step 4: Add the spices

  Stir in **mustard powder, ginger, turmeric, black pepper**. Cook **5 minutes** until fragrant and the relish darkens slightly.

• 5

  Step 5: Thicken to “relish” consistency

  Mix **cornflour** with **water** in a small cup until smooth. Stir it into the pot and simmer **2–4 minutes**, stirring constantly, until the relish turns glossy and noticeably thicker.

• 6

  Step 6: Taste & finish

  Taste and adjust to your liking:

• 7

  Step 7: Jar (for the fridge)

  Spoon hot relish into clean jars, cool to room temp, then refrigerate. It thickens further as it cools.

Tips

• **Texture control:** Dice the veg smaller for a classic “sandwich spread” relish, or keep it chunkier for a burger-style relish.
• **No capsicum?** Leave it out—this relish still works beautifully (it’ll be a little less “bright”).
• **Vinegar options:** White vinegar is most traditional. Apple cider vinegar also works (slightly fruitier).
• **Storage:** Keeps **3–4 weeks in the fridge** in clean jars. Use a clean spoon each time to extend shelf life.
• **To serve:** Brilliant with **sausages, meat pies, bacon-and-egg rolls, toasted sandwiches, burgers**, or alongside **cheddar** and crackers.

Nutrition (per serving, estimate)