Aromatic spicy apple chutney
Chutney is a traditional sweet and tangy Indian sauce made from fruits, vegetables, and a variety of spices. It perfectly complements the flavors of a variety of dishes. One of the most popular varieties is apple chutney. It's a great choice not only during fruit season but also for winter storage.
Indian Chutney with Apples
This classic Indian dish uses only the simplest ingredients. But to achieve a vibrant flavor, it's important to use high-quality spices. It's best to buy them from specialty stores. To make the chutney, you'll need a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, a wooden spoon for stirring, a knife, a board, and a fine grater.
Ingredients
- 2 kg apples
- 1-2 pcs. chili peppers
- 100 G butter
- 3 cm ginger root
- 4 pcs. Luke
- 1 pcs. lemon
- 2 clove garlic
- 200 G raisins seedless
- 150 G Sahara
- 100 ml apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp caraway seeds
- 1 tbsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg
- 0.5 tsp salt
Instructions
- Wash fruits and vegetables.
- Peel and core the apples and cut into 1–1.5 cm cubes.
- Peel the onion and chop finely.
- Grate peeled ginger and garlic.
- Rinse the raisins thoroughly in hot water.
- Remove the zest from the lemon and squeeze out the juice.
- Cut the chili, remove the seeds and chop finely.
- Place a saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter in it.
- Add cumin and coriander, simmer for 1 minute.
- Add ginger and fry for 30 seconds.
- Pour in apples, onions and raisins.
- Add sugar, salt, lemon juice and stir.
- Pour in vinegar, add chili and spices.
- Increase heat and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low.
- Cook for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When the apples are softened, the sauce has darkened in color, and thickened, the cooking is complete. Ladle the sauce into heated, sterilized jars, seal them tightly with boiled lids, and wrap them in towels.
- After cooling, the chutney can be stored for a long time – up to 6 months. A cellar or refrigerator is suitable for this purpose.
Note
Helpful Tips
When preparing the sauce, you can slightly vary the quantities of additional ingredients, as well as the spices. This will help achieve the optimal balance of sweetness, acidity, and spiciness. Other recommendations:- Apples should be ripe, juicy, and sweet enough. Windfalls are acceptable, but be sure to remove any damaged parts.
- You can increase the spiciness if you leave the seeds in the chili.
- You can substitute regular sugar for unrefined sugar. This will give it a caramel flavor.
- Taste the dish as it cooks. Add sugar and lemon juice if needed.
- There is no need to pour water into the pan; apple juice and other liquid ingredients are enough.
- The finished sauce will contain small apple chunks. If you don't like the consistency, use a blender.
- During cooking, you can add a cinnamon stick and 2-3 cloves. Remove them from the pan before jarring.
- If you plan to eat the sauce immediately rather than storing it for the winter, it's best to let it sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This will allow the flavor to fully develop.
