How to Make Mango Chutney at Home
A chutney is a sauce that usually contains fruits and spices. They can be sweet or hot, can be made out of many combinations of fruits and spices, and are widely used in Middle Eastern, Indian and Pakistani cuisine.
The British fell in love with the sweet and sour mango chutney during colonial days, and now it is a staple condiment with beef in the UK.
History of Chutney
Did you know the term "chutney" comes from the Hindi word "catni" which means to lick? So we now know chutney originated in India and goes back to 500BC.
This Indian technique of preserving food was adopted by the Romans and then in the 1600s were used in England and France who eventually introduced them to their colonies in America and Australia. You'll also find chutney in the Caribbean and Africa.
When I think of commercial chutney, I immediately think of Major Grey's chutney. Turns out, Major Grey is a fictional character who was British officer who made his own chutney to serve with curry. Now you'll find dozens of commercial chutney called Major Grey Chutney.
Variations of Chutney
You'll find fresh chutneys and cooked chutneys that can be sweet, sour, spicy or mild or some combination. They can be made from vegetables or fruits and include mangoes, pears, onions, lemons, apples and more.
Chutney texture can be smooth or chunky. Hot or mellow. The variations depend on what country you come from and what part of the country you live.
This recipe is for mango chutney but you can substitute some of ingredients mentioned above to make your own special chutney.
Mangoes are a fruit (they have a pit) that are fleshy and have a light-orange ripened skin color. A typical mango is around three to five inches in length and weighs approximately one pound. Click link to learn more about mangoes.
And don't confuse mango chutney with mango salsa. They are both great but entirely different.
Uses for Mango Chutney
Besides beef, mango chutney is great on so many of your favorite dishes including:
- chicken
- lamb
- pork
- cheeses like brie or cream cheese
- sandwiches like grilled cheese or chicken salad
- as a glaze for meats
- serve it on the side of a meat pie or and empanada
Mango Chutney Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds mangoes slightly under-ripe, peeled
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 medium red onions diced
- 1 3-inch piece fresh ginger peeled, minced (or use a Microplane to grate)
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1 3 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons curry powder
- salt and white pepper freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup raisins or golden raisins
Instructions
- Place the oil and the chile flakes in a sauce pan. Heat on medium for a minute or two to release the oils and chile flavor.
- Add the onion, ginger, and red pepper along with some kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper, and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Add the cinnamon stick.
- Whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar and curry powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until syrupy, stirring occasionally, about twenty minutes.
- Add the golden raisins and cook for another five minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. You should have a nice balance between sweet, tangy and spicy.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
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