How to Curb the Acidity in Tomatoes
Although tomatoes are not as strong as citrus vegetables, they are still a bit too acidic for some peoples tastes and other peoples stomaches. Traditional methods to curb the acidity of tomatoes such as cooking the dish for longer or adding more sugar don't actually work to decrease the acid level. Fortunately, it's not hard to take the edge off a strong tomato dish and make it more palatable for the sensitive eater. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Ripe tomatoes
- Egg whites
- Meat
- Green peas
- Corn
- Carrots
- Baking soda
- Milk
- Cream
- Cheese
Instructions
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Avoid canned tomatoes whenever possible. Canned tomatoes are often significantly more acidic than fresh ones, according to whfoods.com.
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Use fully ripe, or even overripe tomatoes. As tomatoes ripen, their acidity lowers. You may also wish to buy low acidity tomatoes, such as the varieties in the link below.
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Use low-acidity or mildly alkaline ingredients to balance out the tomatoes. Egg whites and meat are non-acidic. Green peas, corn and carrots are slightly acidic, but less acidic than tomatoes. Adding them to a tomato dish will lower the acidity.
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Mix a pinch of baking soda into the dish when it has almost finished cooking. Stir it around and wait for it to stop bubbling, then take a taste. If you wish to, add a pinch more and repeat. The sodium bicarbonate in the baking soda actually neutralizes the acid in the tomatoes, dramatically reducing the acidity of the dish. This will change the flavor, so go slowly.
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Add grated cheese or milk to your dish, and mix it in thoroughly. Cheese, milk and cream have calcium, which will neutralize the acid in the tomatoes.
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