APRICOT CHUTNEY…A RELISH TO RELISH!

Deeba @ PAB

16 years ago

“I am giddy, expectation whirls me round.

The imaginary relish is so sweet

That it enchants my sense.”
William Shakespeare

This chutney is LONG overdue. On my last chutney post, way back in May, my sweet Greek friend Ivy @ Kopiaste had asked for a fruit chutney. With that in mind,

I bought some dried Turkish Apricots to make a fruit chutney for her; then life took off in some other direction.

The poor apricots sat silently in the corner of my cupboard lost in oblivion. I tripped across the poor mites day before, & put making this chutney on priority.

At that time, Ivy said of my green chutney…”This sounds lovely. This is something I would like to try when and if I find fresh coriander. Thanks for explaining what chutney means. Please post a fruit chutney.”

I’m sorry it’s taken me this long Ivy…but better late than never I guess! This one’s for you!!

Chutney is a term for a variety of sweet and spicy condiments, usually involving a fresh, chopped primary vegetable or fruit with added seasonings. Chutney, as a genre, is often similar to the Indian pickle and the salsa of Latin American cuisine, or European relish. Chutney is more familiar in North America and Europe in a form that can be stored. To this end, vegetable oil, vinegar, or lemon juice are used to enhance the keeping properties.

Chutney is a delectable accompaniment to roasted and grilled meats, fish and Indian curry dishes. Delicious on a cracker with hard or soft cheeses. Ideal as a marinade for the grill. Although chutney is most widely known as a condiment originating in India, the concept has spread worldwide and mutated to suit local needs. The term chutney that comes from the East Indian Chatni, meaning “strongly spiced”, and is described as a condiment which usually consists of a mix of chopped fruits, vinegar, spices and sugar cooked into a chunky spread.

Apricot Chutney (Khubani ki Chutney)
Ingredients:
Dried Apricots – 200gms; soaked overnight in 1 cup of water (soaking is optional)
Golden raisins – 1/4 cup (chopped)
Water – 1/4 cup
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Brown sugar – 1/2 cup
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Malt vinegar – 1 cup
Roasted red chili flakes – 1/2 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Method:

Chop up the soaked apricots as fine or as chunky as you’d like your chutney to be.
Put all the ingredients into a medium saucepan and mix together thoroughly. (If you haven’t soaked the apricots overnight, add a cup of water)
Bring to boil, low the heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When the chutney has thickened to a fairly thick consistency, transfer into a clean jam jar.
Allow to cool. Close the lid and store refrigerated.
Note: Chutneys are very accommodating! Eyeball amounts as you like. Add or omit ingredients as you desire. Keep the vinegar as it acts as a preservative. Orange zest, candied ginger, grated apples, cranberries, pepper…anything can be added. That’s the joy of chutney. Be sure to taste it all along…it’s very satisfying of course, addictive too, but goes on to tell you if you need to balance the sweetness etc!!
Serving suggestions : A perfect accompaniment to roasted / grilled meat and fish, game and curry dishes. Great as a marinade for grilling, or as a dip with tortilla chips. Delicious spread with hard or soft cheeses, petit four toppings etc.

This post featured on

Chefs.com
Reuters UK

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