Old-school tomato chutney - Eat Well Recipe - NZ Herald (2024)

FAQs

Why is my tomato chutney too runny? ›

Our answer. When you make chutney its consistency is determined by the evaporation of liquid as the chutney cooks. So if possible you should use a wide pan as this has a larger surface area which means that liquid will evaporate more quickly and should help to prevent the fruit in the chutney from becoming too soft.

The texture of this condiment is what primarily distinguishes it from a sauce. Because it is made from slow-cooking fruits and vegetables, chutney often has a chunky yet spreadable consistency and is created similarly to jam. Sauce, on the other hand, is typically much thinner.

If your dish is too sweet, you can add acidity (lemon juice or vinegar) or a pinch of salt. These will help round out those sweet flavors.

The most common method is to simply cook it for longer, until the excess water evaporates and the chutney thickens naturally. This can take a while, so be patient and stir the chutney frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

There are three ways to thicken the chutney: Add coriander powder to the chutney and blend it. Add dry mango powder to the chutney and mix it well. Add dry coconut powder to the chutney and blend it.

Of course acidity makes food bitter. This is the only reason of bitterness of tomato sauce. There are two main ways we use in Italy to remove that bitterness: a pinch of sugar in the sauce while cooking it.

If you don't want to resort to sugar, baking soda, broth or cinnamon, you just have one thing left to do; cook the tomato as little as possible because, perhaps you can't imagine it, but the more tomato it cooks, the more sour it becomes.

Tomato chutney is thicker and chunkier, whereas tomato relish is usually thinner. The taste of a tomato relish is more vinegary, too. Chutney is usually softer in texture and is cooked longer, but the veggies in a relish still have some crispy crunch to them.

Pairs With Gouda or Havarti

Gouda is a cheese with mild, sweet, and almost fudgey qualities. Because of it's slight sweetness, pairing this cheese with a bright tomato chutney creates the perfect balance of flavours. Havarti is equally as sweet, so the acidity of tomato chutney helps to cut through the creaminess.

This vibrant green sauce is often served with chaat or Indian street foods and is delicious in samosas. All four of Sukhi's samosa recipes call for cilantro chutney, adding moisture, spice, and flavor to every bite.

What is chutney called in English? ›

chutney in American English

(ˈtʃʌtni) noun. a sauce or relish of Asian origin, often compounded of both sweet and sour ingredients, as fruits and herbs, with spices and other seasoning. Also: chutnee.

If you made a double quantity it may take longer for the acid in the vinegar to mellow, unless you used a particularly wide pan that would help the vinegar to evaporate more easily. So it is worth tasting the chutney before you transfer it to jars, to make sure that the mixture is not too acidic.

To get rid of this,add some corriander leaves along with pudina leaves and some tablespoon of lemon juice to get rid of the bitterness. Pudina chutney is best and tastiest when it gets grinded in the traditional way,by using th grinding stone. It will reduce the chance of getting the leaves rancid.

Stored in super-clean, tightly-sealed jars, chutney will keep for aaaaages (years and years) and – bonus – gets better with age.

Bring to boil and let the relish boil with the lid off for up to an hour (until thick). You can thicken the relish with 3 tablespoons of cornflour and a little vinegar if needed.

If you want a thinner consistency, you can reheat it and add any complimentary liquid that you desire: apple juice would be fine, but remember, you are diluting the flavor of your chutney with the additional juice, so you will want to find balance between texture and flavor that you like the best.

Identifying Common Consistency Issues

A perfect chutney has a thick and rich texture. However, various factors can lead to a watery or runny consistency, which is often viewed as less than ideal by culinary enthusiasts. Common Causes for Watery Chutney: Excess Liquid: Excessive juice from fruits or vegetables.

Points to remember

Simmer the mixture until the fruit or vegetables have softened and the consistency is thick and syrupy, with no runny liquid.