A brief explanation of Chutney

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The original chutney of India (Hindi: chatni) is usually a relish made from locally available fresh fruits and spices which is often intended to be eaten fresh and therefore does not normally contain any preserving agents, such as vinegar.

In India the use of a stone chutney maker is often regarded as vital to create the ideal chutney. It is a small stone bowl (called a "khal"), or a flat piece of stone (called a "sil") on which the ingredients are crushed together with a rounded stick of stone or wood (called a "batta).
During the colonial era the British took chutney home and also introduced it to their other colonies, including South Africa and the Caribbean Islands.

In the nineteenth century commercial brands of chutney like Bengal Club and 'Major Grey's chutney’ were created specifically for western tastes and were shipped around most of Europe. 'Major Grey's chutney' became the British standard mango chutney.

Major Grey is a probably a mythical colonial British officer who loved curries and made his own chutney to accompany them. These commercially made cooked chutneys are still popular and are usually made of fruit (such as mangos, apples, pears and plums), onions and raisins simmered with vinegar and sugar.

Chutneys are served with almost every meal in India, especially as relishes with curries, but also as sauces for hot dishes. They range in flavour from sweet or sour, spicy or mild, or any combination of these; they can be thin or chunky and can be made with fruits or vegetables or both.

Cooked mango or papaya chutneys are common in the Caribbean, and chutneys are also widely used in South Africa.

Types of chutney

• Coconut chutney
• Coriander and/or mint chutney (both are often called Hari: Hindi for ‘Green’)
• Green tomato chutney. Common English recipe to use up unripe tomatoes
• Lime chutney (made from whole, unripe limes)
• Mango chutney (made from unripe, green mangos)
• Onion chutney
• Tamarind chutney (Imli chutney)
• Tomato chutney

Chutney by Indian region

• Gujarat —hot lime chutneys
• Haryana — tamarind chutney
• Himachal Pradesh — guava and aubergine chutneys
• Karnataka — coconut, coriander, green chilli, mango, onion, peanut, tomato
• Kerala — coconut, mint, mango, dry fish, shrimp, and onion chutney
• Maharashtra — hot mango chutney
• Punjab — mint chutney, onion chutney, tamarind chutney, mango chutney
• Tamil Nadu — coconut, coriander, tomato, onion, and mango chutneys
• Uttar Pradesh — garlic, sweet and sour mango, and peanut
• West Bengal — fruit (mango, plum, apple, and apricot) chutneys

About the Author

Chris McAndrew is part of the Spinney Kitchen family. He spends much of his spare time growing the herbs, fruit and spices which go into Spinney Kitchen produce.

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