How to make Tomato Powder at Home without Dehydrator (Sun Dried Homemade Tomato Powder)

Homemade tomato powder is one of the best ways to store tomatoes. If you cannot afford a dehydrator or you want to simply save the cost of electricity; you can still make tomato powder at home without a dehydrator. The process is shown below with pictures or you can watch the video below of how I made tomato powder at home without a dehydrator to see the entire process of preserving tomato by turning it into a powder to keep it fresh over a long period of time.

This sun-dried tomato powder is very flavoury and incredibly useful to have around because of its versatility. I made this sun-dried tomato powder from the excess tomatoes I had at home; it turned out perfect for me and I think it will be best I share the outcome with my readers.

Uses of Tomato powder – Recipes you can make with Tomato powder

Tomato powder is made from dehydrated or sun-dried tomatoes which are then ground into a smooth powder or dust.  The Tomato powder can then be used as a spice, for chicken stew, egg sauce, chilies, or used as a great topping for a vegetable salad.

It can also be mixed with a bit of water for an instant tomato sauce. You can even add some other spices like ginger, salt, peppers, onions, and garlic to the dried tomatoes to blend so that you end up with a flavoury and sweet mixed spice. Tomato powder can be combined with smoked paprika powder when making a stew or used as a garnish.

Methods of drying fresh tomato before turning it into powder

Tomato powder is a great way to bring out the strongest flavors in tomatoes, while also keeping them around out of season. There are three ways to dehydrate tomatoes before turning them into tomato powder.

• You can dehydrate tomatoes in a food dehydrator
• Tomatoes can be dried in an oven
• Sun-drying the fresh sliced tomatoes for few days to dehydrate. This is the method I am going to show you
• Another great option to do this is to use the toaster oven.

Use of Toaster oven

This has the advantage of not crowding up an appliance that you need as frequently as the regular oven. All you need to do is to place the sliced tomatoes in the toaster oven and then set it to its lowest point. After you’ve done that, leave the door slightly open to avoid condensation;  you’ll eventually end up with pretty perfect dried tomatoes after a few hours. While doing this you should keep an eye on the tomatoes you’re dehydrating.

Ingredients for making tomato powder at Home

• 3 kg of fresh tomatoes
• 1 cup of fresh red chilies (shombo), de-seeded
• 3 scotch bonnets
• Wide trays or any clean flat surface will do
• Salt (optional)

Steps on how to make tomato powder at home without a dehydrator

1. Rinse the tomatoes and peppers well and remove the stems.
2. Slice your tomato into -inch slices and line them on a flat tray or surface.
3. Spread the tomatoes out so that they don’t lie on top of each other.
4. Keep the tray in a very sunny spot until they’re perfectly dried, which could take a few days.
5. If you notice some houseflies, you can put some mesh material over the tomatoes, to keep the flies away from getting to it.
6. After drying, the tomatoes for two days and they are still flexible, don’t be in a hurry to take them away from the sun, there is likely a tiny bit of moisture. You can flip the tomatoes partway through the process for them to dry inside out.
7. Once the tomatoes are dried and brittle, it means the moisture has been thoroughly removed.
8. Bring the dried tomatoes into a blender or food processor, blend into a smooth powder.
9. Store it in a Mason jar or airtight container and use it when needed.

Easy steps to make tomato powder at home with pictures

Rinse the tomatoes and other ingredients such as peppers very well. You can then slice your tomato into inch slices and line them on a flat tray or surface.

 

Spread the sliced tomatoes out so that they don’t lie on top of each other to allow for fast proper drying. If you have many tomatoes, try to use more trays because improper drying can spoil you stored tomatoes powder.

Make sure the tray is kept at a very sunny spot until they’re perfectly dried. Sun-dried tomatoes powder making takes days for tomatoes to dry. Placing some mesh material over the tomatoes keep flies and other insects away from getting to it.

 

Once the tomatoes are dried and brittle. You can then blend in a blender, food processor,  or even by grounding in a pestle and mortar. If you are grounding the dried tomato slices, to turn it into a smooth powder; you have to keep sieving intermittently as you pound.