Essential Recipe Collection: Apple Chutney

The slightly spicy, acidic, and sweet kick this provides will help spruce up any dish.

Image by Lauren Rose on unsplash

Being an essential ingredient for many curry-based recipes, it comes as no surprise that South Africans have integrated many different types of chutney into their diet.

This particular recipe is one that I have worked on over the years using both my upbringing in South Africa and my experience in cooking and in my opinion it stands miles above the rest.

The sweet acidic apples work amazingly with the spices and can be used in any recipe that calls for chutney.

The most important thing to remember when making any type of preserve is to be as clean as physically possible.

When made well and maintaining a clean organized system all preserves can last for months on end, this recipe, in particular, matures well.

Ingredients

· 1.5kg Granny Smith Apples, Peeled and chopped

· 1 Large Onion, Peeled and sliced.

· 250g Raisins

· 150g Brown Sugar.

· 10g Fennel Seeds

· 1 stick Cinnamon

· 10g Mustard Seeds

· 200ml Cider Vinegar

· 1 tbsp Olive Oil

Method

1. Place a large pot over low heat.
2. Add the oil and the onions and sweat them until very soft, but with no color.
3. Once the onions are soft, add the apple and sweat until cooked and soft, then turn the heat up to medium heat and allow to caramelize slightly.
4. Place the seeds and cinnamon inside a fabric bag similar to a teabag and secure shut.
5. Add the sugar, seeds, raisins and allow to cook for 10–15 minutes.
6. Add the vinegar and allow to cook until it has a consistency of chutney.
7. Place directly in a sterilized jar place and fasten the lid and allow to cool at room temperature before storing in the fridge.
8. The chutney can last for months, but once a jar is opened you should consume it within a month.