Substitutes for Tomatillos

So you have decided to make a batch of authentic Mexican salsa verde, but do not have any tomatillos in your refrigerator. Well, you can still make salsa verde by using a viable substitute for tomatillos. Take a look at some of the alternatives for tomatillos in the following article.

Tomatillo, also known as husk tomato, is a small round fruit which is green in color when unripe. It is a plant belonging to the nightshade family and it features extensively in Mexican cuisine. Tomatillos have a papery thin outer covering called the husk, which is inedible. They vary in size from the small walnut sized ones to the slightly larger golf ball sized ones. Tomatillos have a tart, tangy and slightly citrusy flavor. Tomatillos turn yellow, red or purple when they ripen, and at this point, it loses its tartness and has a slightly sweet taste. Generally, tomatillos are used when they are bright green in color, so as to impart its characteristic tart flavor to many Mexican sauces and salsas.

Tomatillos are one of the key components for making of an authentic Mexican salsa verde. But what if your local farmer's market or supermarket does not have tomatillos? Well, you can use some other substitute for tomatillos in your dish. Although it is hard to replicate the flavor of fresh green tomatillos, you need to choose a substitute for tomatillos that will match the flavor profile of this tangy fruit. Let us take a look at some of the alternatives for tomatillos that you can use.

What You Can Substitute for Tomatillos

Tomatillos are used for making salsas, a variety of green sauces, soups and as a filling for tacos and quesadillas. It can also be added to guacamoles and salad dressings to give these condiments a bit of zing. But if you do not have tomatillos at hand and have returned empty-handed after a trip to the market, then there are some other substitutes for tomatillos that will work just as well for you.

Canned Tomatillos
One of the best substitutes for tomatillos in a dish like a salsa verde or green sauce is canned tomatillos. Canned tomatillos can be easily found in any supermarket in the Hispanic food section. As canned tomatillos are already diced and precooked so that they are soft and yielding, you should take care not to overcook it. Although canned tomatillos might not have the same texture and bright green color of fresh tomatillos, nevertheless they impart the same flavor to a dish.

Green Tomatoes
Green tomatoes are also a good tomatillo substitute to use in a recipe like soup, salsa or sauce. Choose unblemished green tomatoes that have a slightly sour taste. As green tomatoes have a pale green color and a similar crunchy texture as that of tomatillos, it works well as a substitute. Before you use green tomatoes for tomatillos in your dish, taste the tomato to check its tartness. Sometimes, green tomatoes are not very tart to taste. In that case, add a tablespoon or two of freshly squeezed lime juice to add the satisfactory sour flavor to your dish.

Green Peppers
If green tomatoes are not in season and you cannot find canned tomatillos in the supermarket, then you will need another substitute for tomatillos. Green peppers can work in certain dishes that call for tomatillos, like a soup or a zesty sauce. The texture and color of green peppers is similar to that of tomatillos and as such, it can be used in place of tomatillos. However, you will need to add a souring ingredient like tamarind paste or freshly squeezed lime juice along with green peppers to replicate the flavor of tomatillos in your dish.

Gooseberries and Green Peppers
Another substitute for tomatillos is a concoction made by mixing ground gooseberries with roasted green peppers. The sour and acidic taste of freshly ground gooseberries complements the subtle hot taste of roasted green peppers and makes a very good alternative for tomatillos in a recipe. The green color of green peppers and gooseberries is similar to that of tomatillos, and so visually, the recipe will look very much like the original one.

Out of all the substitutes mentioned above, one of the most commonly used alternatives for tomatillos is green tomatoes. However, you need to remember that a tomatillo is more richly flavored than a green tomato and is more crunchy as well. Tomatillos have a unique tangy and piquant flavor that is difficult to replicate. So, it is best that you experiment with different combinations of products and condiments to come up with a tomatillo substitute that will work in your dish. 

 

Read More: 

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/substitutes-for-tomatillos.html