Chutney is a concentrated condiment, usually made with a combination of a sweet fruit and a savory and/or spicy seasoning.
The sweet-savory flavor goes great with meat, fish, or veggie dishes, or even mixed into yogurt. They are a fast ferment– we want to ferment chutneys and other fruit-based recipes quickly (not more than 5 days) because any longer than that, they tend toward alcohol fermentation (which is carried out by yeasts) rather than lactic acid fermentation (done by lactic acid bacteria). We want lactic acid fermentation for chutney. The relatively higher sugar content of fruits favors yeasts and alcohol fermentation. Here are two variations– one with jalapeño, and the other with ginger and mustard. We also tried making kim-chutney, using kimchi paste. It did not go well. ?
Chutney is traditionally cooked down in order to thicken it up. This variation is not cooked, so it tends to be runnier (more liquid), almost like a fresh salsa (maybe we should call it “chalsa”?) You can drain off excess liquid (after fermentation) if you want the same consistency as the cooked version. Keep the extra liquid and consume it, as it is full of probiotics.
Strawberry-Jalapeño Chutney
Ingredients
- 1 pint 12 oz./300 g by weight ripe strawberries
- 2 Tablespoons 30 ml or 25 g raisins (red or golden)
- 2 teaspoons 10 ml, 14g raw honey
- 1 Tablespoon 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 Tablespoon 15 ml raw apple cider vinegar or plain kombucha
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) mixed peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sea salt
- 1/2 fresh jalapeño or other hot pepper
Instructions
Prepare
- Remove tops and rinse strawberries. Dice into 1/8" pieces or pulse in a food processor 6-8 times.
- Add to a wide mouth mason jar.
- Chop raisins (or leave whole) and add to bowl.
- Crush or crack peppercorns (or leave whole) and add to jar.
- Dice hot pepper, removing seeds and membrane (to reduce heat. Leave in if you want it really spicy!). Add to jar.
- Add all other ingredients. Stir together.
Ferment
- Tighten lid on jar, then loosen by half a turn (to allow excess pressure to escape).
- Leave in a warm spot in your kitchen.
- After a few days, you should see bubbles form, letting you know that fermentation is happening.
- Taste! When you’re happy with how it tastes, tighten lid and store in refrigerator.
- Contents may separate from liquid. Stir before using. Lasts about 1 month in refrigerator.
Strawberry-Ginger Chutney
Ingredients
- 1 pint about 12 oz./300g by weight ripe strawberries
- 2 Tablespoons 30 ml or 25g raisins (red or golden)
- 2 teaspoons 10 ml, 14g raw honey
- 1 Tablespoon 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 Tablespoon 15 ml raw apple cider vinegar or plain kombucha
- 1 teaspoon 5 ml mixed peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon 5 ml sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon 3 ml yellow mustard seeds
- 1/4 ounce (8 g) fresh ginger root
Instructions
Prepare
- Remove tops and rinse strawberries. Dice into 1/8" pieces or pulse in a food processor 6-8 times.
- Add to a wide mouth pint jar.
- Chop raisins (or leave whole) and add to bowl.
- Crush or crack peppercorns (or leave whole) and add to jar.
- Crush or crack mustard seeds (or leave whole) and add to jar.
- Peel and dice ginger and add to jar.
- Add all other ingredients. Stir together.
Ferment
- Place lid on jar, then loosen by half a turn (to allow excess gas to escape).
- Leave in a warm spot in your kitchen.
- After a few days, you should see bubbles form, letting you know that fermentation is happening.
- Taste! When you’re happy with how it tastes, tighten lid and store in refrigerator.
- Contents may separate from liquid. Stir before using. Lasts about 1 month in refrigerator.
