Though Indian in origin, chutney has now become global; as you may find various regional versions. It is mainly used as a condiment, and can be served at a formal dinner or with any fancy meal. In its original form, chutney is either smooth or chunky, as per the ingredients used. While freshly prepared chutneys are preferred in India, canned form of this condiment is now available in almost all supermarkets across the globe. It is really easy to prepare chutney at home. It can also be canned and stored.
Green Tomato Chutney Recipe
People who grow tomatoes might be familiar with the uses of green unripe tomatoes; because, at times, they may be forced to harvest green ones. Mostly, this happens when the tomato plants develop blight. You may end up with a whole lot of green unripe tomatoes, wondering about what to do with them. One of the easiest and popular uses of green tomatoes is to prepare chutney. Green tomato chutney is tangy, sweet and sour; and is excellent with burger, sandwiches, tortilla chips, crackers, cheese, or biscuits. It can also be used with fish, meat and rice.
Ingredients
- Green tomatoes - 5.5 pounds
- Onions - 1 pound
- Light brown sugar - 1 pound
- Malt vinegar - 4.5 cups
- Sultanas - 9 ounces
- Salt - 4 tsp.
- White pepper powder - 3 tsp.
How to Make
Wash and clean the tomatoes and onions, and cut them into fine slices. Put them in a large bowl, and add salt. Mix well and cover the bowl with a lid. Keep it overnight, so that the juices in the vegetables are drawn out. This reduces the cooking time and also enhances the flavor. The next day, add vinegar to a large pan, along with brown sugar. Place it over medium heat and stir constantly, so that the sugar dissolves fully. Once the mixture boils, add the chopped sultanas and let it boil for some more time. Drain the juices from the chopped tomatoes and onions, that were kept overnight. Add the tomato and onion slices to the boiling vinegar-sugar mixture. Add two to three teaspoons of white pepper and mix them well. Allow the mixture to boil gently for around two hours. This makes the tomatoes and onions softer, and also reduces the fluid content. However, make sure to stir the contents occasionally. Once done, the chutney will be almost golden brown in color, with a thick consistency. Now, turn off the heat and fill the chutney in jars.
Use sterilized jars for storing green tomato chutney. You can sterilize the jars by washing them in hot water, and then placing the bottles in the oven, which is preheated to around 280° F. Once the bottles are ready, fill them with chutney. Gently tap the jars, so as to get rid of air bubbles inside. Once you are done with filling, use a food wrap or cling film to cover the rim of the jar. Trim off the edges of the wrap, and cover the jars with lids. You can also can the chutney.
You have to store the chutney jars in a cool, dark place. Once opened, these jars should be kept in the refrigerator. So, try this recipe or any other green tomato chutney Indian recipe, and enjoy it with a dish of your choice. You may also experiment with other ingredients, like spices, to make the chutney more spicy.
