Beneath African Skies

HOT INDIAN CHUTNEY

A curry accompaniment, of thick consistency and very hot and spicy.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
250 (½ lb) onions, skinned and coarsely chopped
4 cloves crushed garlic,
4 teaspoons salt
500g (l lb) soft brown sugar
1 litre malt vinegar ( 1 ¾ pint)
250g (½ lb) deseeded raisins, chopped
60ml (4 level tablespoons) ground ginger
large pinch cayenne pepper
45 ml (3 tablespoons) dry mustard

Method:

1.Simmer the apples, onions, garlic, salt, sugar and vinegar until quite soft. Blend and strain.
2.Add the raisins, ginger, cayenne pepper and mustard, mix well and leave in a warm but not hot place until the following day, to thicken.

Mrs Puffcrumb’s Plum Chutney

Ingredients:

1 kg (2 lb) sweet plums.
30 ml (2 tablespoons) pickling spice
2 cloves garlic, skinned and crushed
350 g (3/4 lb) onions, skinned and sliced
1 kg (2 lb) tomatoes, skinned and sliced
1 kg (2 lb) cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 litre (1 ½ pint) malt vinegar
250g (½ lb dried apricots, cut into bits
250g (½ lb) golden syryp
250g (½ lb) demarara sugar
20 ml (4 level teaspoons) salt

Method:

1.Clean the plums, have and de-stone.
2.Tie the pickling spice in a muslin bag.
3.Place the plums and all the other ingredients in a large pot and bring to the boil.
4.Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until the ingredients are soft and thick.
5.Remove the muslin bag.
6.Allow chutney to cool.
7.Decant into sterile jars and seal.

PEAR CHUTNEY

A dark, smooth, sweet and spicy chutney that is slightly hot.

Ingredients:

1.5kg (3 lb) pears, peeled, cored and sliced
4500g (1 lb) onions, skinned and chopped
500g (1 lb) green tomatoes, wiped and sliced
250g (½ lb) stoned raisins, chopped
750g (1 ½ lb) dark brown sugar
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of ground ginger
2 teaspoons salt
1 litre (1 ¾ pints) malt vinegar

Method:

1.Place all the fruit and vegetable ingredients into a saucepan, with no added liquid and simmer on a low heat until tender.
2.Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer until thick, with no excess liquid. Remove, allow to cool, pot into sterile jars and seal.

Green Tomato Chutney

A lightly spiced, smooth textured chutney, good with curries.

Ingredients:

450g (1 lb) cooking apples, peeled and cored
225g (½ lb) onions, skinned
1.4kg (3lb) green tomatoes, sliced thinly
225g (½ lb) sultanas
225g (½ lb) dark brown sugar
10ml (2tsp) salt
400ml (3/4 pint) malt vinegar
4 small pieces root ginger
2.5ml (½tsp) cayenne pepper
5ml (1 tsp) dry mustard

Method:

1.Mince the apples and onions and put into a saucepan with the rest of the ingredients. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the ingredients are tender and reduced to a thick consistency, with no excess liquid.
2.Remove the ginger, pot into sterile jars and sea.

Apple and Tomato Chutney

In addition to being a delicious chutney to use with almost any meat or cheese dish, this makes a nice home-made gift for friends.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg (2 lb) apples, peeled, cored and sliced

• 1 kg (2 lb) tomatoes, sliced

• 350g (3/4 lb) onions, skinned and chopped

• 1 clove of garlic, crushed

• 250g (½ lb) mixed dried fruit

• 350g (3/4 lb) dark brown sugar

• 15ml (1 tablespoon) mustard

• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) cayenne pepper

• 20 ml (4 teaspoons) slt

• 900ml (1 ½ pint) malt vinegar

Method:

1. Stew the apples in a small quantity of water until soft.

2. Put the apples, tomatoes, onions and garlic with the dried fruit, sugar, spices, salt and vinegar into a pan.

3. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the chutney becomes thick.

4. Pour into sterile jars and seal.

Apple Chutney

A light, fruity but not spiced chutney – good with pork and poultry and also to accompany a hamburger.

Ingredients:

1.4 kg (3 lb) cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced
1.4 kg (3 lb) onions, skinned and chopped
450g (1 lb) saltanas or stoned raisins
2 lemons
700g (1 ½ lb) dark brown sugar
600ml (1 pint) malt vinegar

Method:

1.Put the apples, onions and sultanas in a pan.
2.Grate the lemon rind, strain the juice and add both to the pan, with the sugar and vinegar.
3.Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture is of a thick consistency, with no excess liquid.
4.Pot into clean, sterile jars and seal.