~Chutney -- A Spicy Condiment and Sandwich Topper~

Having its origin in India, the name for this condiment comes from the East Indian word chatni, which means to entice the appetite. Indian chutneys were and are commonly made daily and eaten the same day -- originally prepared using a stone mortar and pestle, nowadays an electric food processor is often used.  Just like our common American condiments, they can be found on the table for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner -- they are a part of the daily culinary routine.  

Chutney was imported from India to Western Europe in the early 17th century.  European renditions were generically referred to as "mango'd fruit", because the most common fruit used to make chutney in Indian kitchens at the time was the mango.  Europeans simply substituted apples, peaches, pineapples, plums, or rhubarb in place of mangos, and, they prepared them similar to preserves so they would have a shelf life long to last through the harsh Winter months. 

The chutneys most of us Americans are familiar with today are on the shelves of most supermarkets and they're a preserved sweet and savory fruit-based condiment containing fresh and/or dried fruit, ginger root, vinegar, sugar and an array of aromatic spices.  Similar to its next of kin (jam, relish and salsa), at the discretion of the cook, chutney ranges in texture from chunky to smooth and in degree of spiciness from mild to hot. Like its next of kin, chutney is simmered low and slow for a lengthy time to reach the desired consistency.

There's more.  In India, many chutneys are vegetable- rather than fruit-based and contain a wider array of ingredients (like mint or cilantro, onion and/or garlic, fresh or canned tomatoes, yogurt or coconut milk and/or various nuts or seeds). These chutneys are typically served as a side-dish/accompaniment to Indian-style curries or meat dishes, and sometimes they are stirred into rice.  It's worth mention that even in India, chutneys are very diverse because Indian food varies greatly from region to region and is dependent upon local ingredients common to the region.

Try rhubarb-ginger chutney on a ham or turkey sandwich:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti 

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2021)