Spicy apricot Indian chutney

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On the last Saturday before Christmas She Who Must be Fed worked her last shift for 2018. The shop owners are shuttering for a well earned break for several weeks and so upon closing emptied out the displays and fridges of their remaining organic fruit and veg stock and distributed it to She Who Must’ and her colleagues.

Terrific; two boxes of goodies to tide us through Christmas and New Year!

A tray of stone fruit went to the hungry carolers at the 2018 Bucketty Christmas Carols (RFS fundraiser). Amongst the rest that came home were eight or so apricots. Neither The VegHead or She Who Must’ are overly fond of apricots (though we partook of one each – not bad for an apricot) so the half dozen left after our sampling have been made into an inaugural Spicy apricot Indian Chutney.

This chutney has popped my chutney cherry. A bit of Duck Duck Go interweb trawling gave me the basics and then I ignored most of the specifics of the recipes I had found (as I am wont to do) and just MADE SHIT UP.

What went in (makes a medium jar):

  • 6 apricots; destoned and chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic; one crushed and the others thinly sliced
  • 1 hot birdseye chilli; thinly sliced
  • 6 white ends of spring onions; thinly sliced
  • 2 thin slices of ginger; finely sliced into strips
  • about a heaped TBSP of young, fresh curry leaves (if large ones then chop)
  • juice of one lime
  • rind of half a lime, thinly sliced
  • a pinch each of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds; ground in a portar and mestle (What? You don’t have one of these?)
  • a generous pinch of salt
  • 1 TBSP of palm sugar
  • 1 TBSP of panela
  • 1 TBSP of coconut oil for frying
  • 2/3 cup of water

Taj Mahaling it all together:

  • Over a low heat saute the garlic, chilli, spring onions, and ginger until soft
  • Add the spices, salt and pepper and give it about another minute
  • Add the apricots, water, lime, sugars, and half of the curry leaves
  • With the saucepan lidded simmer gently until the liquid is reduced
  • Remove from heat, stir in the remaining curry leaves and jar that baby

Serve with something lovely, like these.