Saturday, March 17, 2012

Spicy apple chutney

Apples-Red/Green 3 - chopped
Ginger-1 inch - chopped or julians
Tamarind extract/Vinegar - 1 tbspn
Dates - 5 chopped
Dry grapes - a dozen
Jaggery - 1 cup

Pepper - 1 tsp - dry roast and crush coarsely
Red chilly - depending on how hot they are 1 or 2, dry roast and grind coarsely
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 2 inch piece, dry roast, keep it whole, so it can be removed later
Cloves - 6 - dry roast, keep it whole, so it can be removed later
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Add the oil to the pan, lightly fry the ginger and cumin seeds, then add the apples, salt, turmeric and continue with a lid on the pan. Once the apple is soft add the vinegar/tamarind, dates, grapes and continue cooking for a few more minutes. Then add the pepper, chilly, cinnamon, cloves, chilly powder and continue for another 5 mins on low. Lid on all the time.

Prepare jaggery syrup by boiling jaggery in 1/2 cup water. Filter this and add to the cooking mixture. Continue cooking till most water is evaporated and the mixture gets a chutney consistency.

You can add a whole lot of things to this if you wish:
Pineapple, green peppers, chopped onion, chopped garlic, palm sugar...let your imagination run.