Whether cooked with spices or chopped and served fresh, chutneys and pickles help to stimulate Agni (see here) and therefore promote digestion. Some are quite sweet and some are quite sour, but it’s a combination of both within a meal that Ayurveda recommends to cover two of the Tastes (see here).
You only need 1–2 teaspoons of chutney to enhance your meal. Serve it directly on the plate or in a small bowl alongside your food for dipping flatbreads or appetisers. You can make and store chutneys in the fridge for several weeks, if they’re cooked and preserved properly.
In addition to the famous Sri Lankan Sambal (see here), there’s another spicy condiment from the same country (see here) and two fruit chutneys, which I think also make excellent jams if you leave out the vinegar, reduce the salt and add a touch more sweetness.
Two recipes in one!