Spiced Plum Chutney Food

SPICY PLUM & APPLE CHUTNEY

Steps:

• To sterilise the jars: run them with the lids and any rubber seals through the hottest cycle of your dishwasher. If you don't have a dishwasher, give the jars a good wash, then heat them in the oven at 150C/130C fan/ gas 2 for 30 mins. Don't bake seals - boil them in a pan of water for 10 mins. If you don't have lids you can buy jam pot covers from cook shops which you can then cover with fabric.
• Prepare the ingredients: first, peel the garlic cloves and cut them into slivers. Peel and thinly shred the ginger. Halve, peel and thinly slice the onions, then put them in a large, wide saucepan or a preserving pan with the garlic and ginger. Peel, core and chop the apples, then add to the pan with the spices, vinegar and salt.
• Bring the pan to the boil over a gentle heat, give everything a good stir, then turn down the heat and cover the pan (if you don't have a lid use foil). Simmer for 30 mins until the apples are cooked and pulpy.
• While the apples are simmering, stone and quarter the plums, then add them to the cooked apples with the sugar. Stir well and leave to bubble away, this time uncovered, for another 40 mins stirring regularly until the plums are cooked but still retain some of their shape. Ladle into the sterilised jars, seal and label. Use our downloadable Christmas labels if you like.
• This chutney is best kept for about a month before eating as the vinegar needs a bit of time to mellow. If you don't want the flavour of the spices to develop any more, then take out the cinnamon and star anise before potting. It will keep for 1 year in a cool place but once opened store in the fridge and use within a month.

SPICED PLUM CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients, except the sugar, into a large pan and stir well. Bring slowly to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 mins, until the plums are tender.
• Stir in the sugar plus 2 tsp salt and keep stirring until it has dissolved. Boil the chutney for 20-30 mins, uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent it catching on the bottom, until it is thick and pulpy.
• Pot into sterilised jars (see Know-how, below), seal, label and store for at least 2 weeks before eating. Will keep for up to 6 months in a cool dark place.

PLUM CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Combine sugars and vinegar in a large saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, stirring until sugars dissolve.
• Add remaining ingredients; mix well and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and cook gently 45-50 minutes until thickened.
• Stir often to keep chutney from scorching.
• Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal.
• **Allowat least one month to season before opening.

SPICY PLUM CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Heat ghee in a large sauce pan over moderate low heat until hot, but not smoking.
• Add fennel seeds, nigella seeds, black mustard seeds and chilies. Fry until mustard seeds pop and turn grey.
• Add the plums, raisins, sugar, salt and simmer until thick for about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in walnuts, coconut and ginger.
• Let cool down to serve or fill into sealed glases and refrigerate.
• NOTE: you can replace ghee by a mixture of butter and canola oil.
• NOTE: nigella seeds (kalonji) is also called black onion seeds.
• NOTE: black mustard seeds can be replaced by brown mustard seeds.

SPICED PLUM CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Halve the plums and remove the pits if possible -- if the plums are very firm then leave the pits in to prevent wasting any flesh. In this case, allow 2 1/4 lbs. in weight.
• Cut the peeled and cored apples into small dice. Peel and chop the onions. Peel and mince the garlic.
• Put the plums, apples, onion and garlic into the pan with 1 1/4 cup vinegar, mixed spice, curry, ginger and cinnamon.
• Simmer gently until the fruits are soft. Remove the plum pits (if necessary)at this point.
• Add the sultanas, sugar and remaining 1 1/4 cup of vinegar. Stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Boil steadily until the consistency of a thick jam, stirring occasionally.
• Add salt and pepper to taste, then spoon into the hot jars and seal down.

SPICED PLUM CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Finely grind star anise, clove, and cinnamon stick in spice mill or coffee grinder.
• Combine spice mixture, vinegar, sugar, ginger, mustard seeds, and pepper in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and bring to boil. Add plums; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chutney thickens and chunky sauce forms, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool. Season to taste with salt.
• *Available in the spice section of some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Asian markets.