Fiery Indian Chutney

This Fiery Indian Chutney will delight those who love all things hot and spicy. Where you would use a normal chutney, replace it for this one, it goes particularly well with a cold meat platter and strong cheeses.

Fiery Indian Chutney Recipe

Makes about 2.2 Kg of chutney to pot

Recipe Ingredients:

1 kg cooking apples
700g onions
6 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
115g fresh root ginger
225g raisins
250ml malt vinegar
250ml red wine vinegar
500g natural brown (demerara) sugar
2 fresh red chillies (de-seeded)
2 fresh green chillies (de-seeded)
1 tbsp sea-salt
1 tsp chutney spice blend (see below)
1 tsp turmeric

Recipe Method:

1. Peel and finely shred the fresh root ginger into small pieces.

2. Peel then core and roughly chop the apples.

3. Peel and quarter the onions, then slice as thinly as possible.

Place all of these in a preserving pan with the finely chopped garlic, raisins and vinegar (malt and red wine). Bring this up to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples and onions are thoroughly softened.

Add the sugar and stir this over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer the mixture for another 40 minutes, or until thick and pulpy, stirring frequently towards the end of the cooking time.

Halve the chillies and remove the seeds, then slice them finely. Add the chillies to the pan, stir in the sea-salt, chutney spice blend (see below) and turmeric, and cook for a further 15 minutes, until there is no excess liquid remaining in the chutney. Simmer for a shorter or longer time if needed, to get the right chutney thickness and texture.

Transfer the chutney to warm, sterilized jars. To pot the chutney: it is best to use a wide-necked jam funnel to transfer the chutney into the sterilized jars. Use a long-handled teaspoon (or similar) to press and poke the chutney right down into the pots to exclude any trapped air pockets. Press wax discs on the surface of the chutney before sealing the jar. Wipe the jars immediately, then label them when they are cold.

To Store: store in a cool, dark place and leave to mature for at least 1 month. The chutney will keep unopened for up to 1 year. Once the jars have been opened, store them in the refrigerator.

Chutney Spice Blend

All the spices below need to be crushed very fine using a pestle and mortar, or run through a spice grinder, into powder. Store the chutney spice blend in a small seal-able jar and use with a few months to retain freshness.

1 or 2 teaspoon chilli flakes (to taste)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon of ground ginger
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons allspice berries
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 teaspoons whole cloves
2 teaspoons mace blades
8 small dried bay leaves

This spice blend will keep for a few months sealed, use in any chutney recipe.