Chapter 16Chutneys and Sambals
Sambals are condiments common throughout southern India, Indonesia, and Malaysia. They are a puree or paste that traditionally accompanies curry and similar dishes, made and eaten fresh anduncooked. Some of the most common ingredients include mangoes, cucumbers, cilantro, mint, ginger, hot green peppers, onion, garlic, and coconut, moistened with lemon or lime juice as well as vinegar.
Cooked chutneys are also customary accompaniments to Indian and similar cuisines. But don’t overlook them as side dishes or flavorings for cold cuts and roasted meats, cheeses, sandwiches, and grilled meats, and for seasoning salad dressings. Cooked chutneys are usually hot, spicy-sweet mixtures of chopped fruits or vegetables — a combination pickle and preserve, sweet-and-sour. To make them, chopped fruits and vegetables are cooked with vinegar, sugar, and a selection of herbs and spices. They may be made mildly to very hot with chili peppers. The mixtures often include raisins, dried currants, and nuts. Cooked chutneys are a British invention of the colonials who governed India and are named after the Hindustani word for strong spices, chatni.
Fresh Mint-Cucumber Sambal
Yield: 2 cups
This a quickly prepared, uncooked sambal that is traditional with Indian food, especially a type of fritter called pakoras.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 1 cup nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt or low-fat or nonfat sour cream
- 1⁄4 cup green onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons mint vinegar
- 1 green jalapeño pepper, cored and seeded
- 1⁄4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 fresh ginger, minced
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin seed
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth but still somewhat coarse. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt, if desired. Refrigerate for several hours to allow flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.
Fresh Green Chili and Cilantro Sambal
Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients
- 6 fresh green chili peppers, cored, seeded, and minced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 1⁄4 cup fresh garlic chives
- 11⁄2 slices whole-wheat bread
- 1⁄4 cup cilantro white wine vinegar
- 1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin seed
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
Instructions
In a food processor, combine all ingredients and pulse until smooth but still coarse. Season with salt, if desired. Refrigerate for several hours to allow flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.
Green Tomato Chutney
Yield: 4 half-pints
Ingredients
- 3 pounds green tomatoes, cored and chopped
- 1 pound sweet green peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
- 1 pound apples, cored and chopped
- 1 pound onions, chopped
- 1 cup raisins
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 fresh red or green hot pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
- 1 pint tarragon vinegar
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon non-iodized salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring frequently. Follow the standard directions for boiling-water method of preserving.
Mint Chutney
Yield: 8 half-pints
Ingredients
- 4 cup fresh spearmint, minced
- 1 cup fresh parsley, minced
- 4 cups apples, cored and chopped
- 11⁄2 cup onion, chopped
- 1⁄2 cup golden raisins
- 1⁄2 cup blanched almonds, chopped
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 pint mint vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon non-iodized salt
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, simmer 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Follow the directions for standard directions for boiling-water method of preserving.
Dried Apricot Chutney
Yield: 4 half-pints
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried apricots, chopped
- 1 pound onions, chopped
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1⁄2 cup pine nuts
- 1 fresh red or green hot pepper, seeded and minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1⁄2 cup orange juice
- Zest of 2 oranges
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 11⁄2 cups orange mint white wine vinegar
- 11⁄2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons non-iodized salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring frequently. Follow the standard directions for boiling-water method of preserving.
Mango Chutney
Yield: 4 half-pints
Ingredients
- 4 cups mango, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 1 pound onions, chopped
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 2 limes, seeded and chopped
- 1⁄2 cup blanched almonds, chopped
- 1⁄2 cup fresh ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 fresh red or green hot pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup cilantro white wine vinegar
- 1⁄4 cup orange juice
- 1⁄4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
- 2 teaspoons non-iodized salt
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring frequently. Follow the standard directions for boiling-water method of preserving.
Apple-Lovage Chutney
Yield: 6 half-pints
Ingredients
- 6 cups apples, cored and chopped
- 1 cup fresh lovage, minced
- 1 medium sweet red pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
- 1 medium red tomato, cored, peeled, and chopped
- 1 medium green tomato, cored and chopped
- 1⁄2 pound onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1⁄4 cup fresh ginger, minced
- 11⁄2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup lovage white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Follow the standard directions for boiling-water method of preserving.
Variation. Substitute fresh spearmint and mint vinegar for the lovage and vinegar.
Rhubarb Chutney
Yield: 6 half-pints
Ingredients
- 6 cups rhubarb, chopped
- 1 cup red onion, chopped
- 1 cup apple, cored and chopped
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1⁄2 cup fresh lovage, minced
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup spice red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Follow the standard directions for boiling-water method of preserving.
Cranberry Chutney
Yield: 8 half-pints
Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh cranberies
- 2 medium navel oranges, rind grated, pith discarded, and the fruit coarsely chopped
- 2 cups apples, cored and chopped
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1⁄2 cup tarragon or hyssop vinegar
- 1⁄4 cup fresh tarragon or hyssop, minced
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Follow the standard directions for boiling-water method of preserving.
Peach-Plum Chutney
Yield: 6 half-pints
Ingredients
- 11⁄2 pounds peaches, pitted and chopped
- 11⁄2 pounds yellow plums, pitted and chopped
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 yellow sweet pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 fresh green or red hot pepper, seeded and minced
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup cinnamon basil white wine vinegar
- 1⁄2 cup fresh cinnamon basil, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
- 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons non-iodized salt
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Follow the standard directions for boiling-water method of preserving.
Apple (or Pear) Chutney
Yield: 8 half-pints
Ingredients
- 8 cups apples or pears, cored and chopped
- 1 lemon, chopped and seeded
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 11⁄2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 11⁄2 cups hyssop apple cider or malt vinegar
- 2 fresh green or red hot peppers, cored, seeded, and minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh hyssop, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamon seeds
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Follow the standard directions for boiling-water method of preserving.
