Have you ever tasted chutney? It is a spicy sweet-and-sour sauce popular all over the world but originating in India. Let's get to know it better together, from how it is prepared to the spices used, not forgetting the possible combinations.

Chutney is prepared using fruit and/or vegetables, simmered with spices and vinegar. Its preparation and consistency may remind you vaguely of jam, but as mentioned above, it is a savoury condiment with sweet notes, more or less spicy depending on the variant.

There are in fact not one but many recipes for chutney, depending on the basic ingredient used.

Variants of the spicy chutney

Among the most widely used and appreciated is mint chutney (hari chutney). As the name easily suggests, this is a savoury mint-based condiment accompanied by fresh coriander and green chillies. It goes very well with chaat or samosas.

Another popular variant is tomato chutney (timater), flavoured with sugar, onion, garlic, ginger, salt, dried red chillies, cumin and vinegar.

The most commonly used fruit versions are those with tamarind, mango and coconut pulp, but in South Africa, for example, it is also very popular and used in pear or apricot versions (it can also be prepared using dehydrated apricots).

In addition to tomatoes and herbs, as far as vegetables are concerned, interesting versions of the chutney can be prepared with pumpkin and caramelised onions.

The fruit and vegetables must be simmered as anticipated, mixed with brown sugar, vinegar or vinegar syrup (which in some variants is replaced by lime juice or yoghurt), flavoured with a mix of spices that varies from recipe to recipe but usually includes garlic, ginger, curry, cumin, cinnamon, mustard seeds, cumin, cardamom, cloves, chilli, pepper and paprika.

As you may have guessed, this is a condiment that is perfectly compatible with both vegetarian and vegan diets (with the exception of recipes using yoghurt).

What to pair the chutney with

In addition to the aforementioned samosas and chaat, like fruit preserves, chutney goes well with cheeses, mixed platters, meat carpaccio, roasted vegetables and barbecued meats, especially lamb, veal or pork (with pork loin in particular).

How to store homemade spicy chutney

For storing the chutney, you will need to follow the same rules as for many homemade preserves, the mixture should be poured while still hot into clean, sterilised glass jars, hermetically sealed for use. The closed jars should cool upside down. This way you can store them in the pantry, away from direct light and heat sources.

If we have intrigued you and you want to ‘indulge’, we recommend the collection of 29 different chutney recipes from Deliciousmagazine.co.uk