Mango Chutney

March 18, 2020 / 14 Comments

This is one of my recent favorite recipes! I am fascinated by how you can use vinegar, sugar and spices to create the perfect balance. Chutney is an important component in the Indian cuisine. I was first introduced to Chutney in South Africa. It’s a tart-sweet sauce made of fruit such as apple, apricot, mango, dates etc. It is served in small quantities to supplement other items in the meal and like pickles, it contributes basic taste, that may be missing otherwise.

Actor and chef Tara Deshpande says, “In many parts of India, chutney is a way to use up leftover ingredients, to enjoy seasonal ones, and, to use cheap ingredients to prepare something with lots of flavor. Often, an ingredient that was very healthy, but not too tasty, like flax seeds (agasi or javas) was turned into a chutney so that it would be palatable.”  

Pooja Pillai. “Finger-lickin’ good: The story of chutney in India”. 2019.

It’s mango season at the moment and I was given a whole bag full of green mangos the other day. So what do you do when life gives you mangos??? Yes! You make Chutney!! Here’s my recipe. I find it easy to make and a hit if you want to add flavor to your dishes.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. Veg Oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp cloves powder or allspice
  • 2 cups mango chunks, roughly chopped (green or ripe)
  • 100 ml cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 100 gr sugar

Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Cook onions in medium heat till soft. Add garlic and ginger. Cook for 2 mins. Stir in all spices and cook for another minute or so. Add mango , cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Cook until the sugar is dissolved then turn heat to low and allow to reduce down for an hour o until it has reached the jam consistency. Season with salt (optional).

This delicious Chutney can be kept in the fridge for at least 2 weeks. If transferred to a sterilized jar and sealed, it will keep for several months.

14 Comments