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Spicy Tomato Chutney and Eggplant Pickle

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cooked tomato chutney flavoured with Indian spices in a white bowlThe past Saturday was “Can It Forward Day“- a day co-inspired by Canning Across America to get people preserving the bounty of the seasonal harvest.  I was inspired to make a couple of Indian flavoured items to put away for a late date: a slightly spicy South Indian style tomato chutney and a sweet and sour (anglo-indian style) eggplant pickle.

Before moving to India I had tried a few of the store bought mass produced pickles. I found them coated in too much spice and was unsure of what they should actually taste like. I was also naive in their purpose on a thali and their influence within an Indian meal.  I was an achar (pickle) novice.

Over many meals and visits to the markets I eventually learned a few things about pickles:

  • their primary function is to awaken the appetite and a swaadisht achar can make a seemingly bland meal explode with flavour
  • pickles only need to be consumed in small amounts (ie a tablespoon or two)
  • no two pickles are the same- each region and each family will have their own recipes and manner of preparing and using a pickle
  • visit any market (and many homes) and you will see earthenware jars filled with a variety of homemade achars and chutneys- this is a burgeoning cottage industry much like the jams, jellies and pickles found throughout country stores and fine food shops in North America.

If you are unsure of how to properly can I suggest you check out either Canning Across America or Food in Jars as they are great sources for all things canned.  It is not too late for you to do your own canning. I hope that there recipes inspire you to either reproduce them or at least get you into the kitchen to prepare a family heirloom pickle or chutney.

If you do not want to preserve each one should keep for a couple of weeks, well covered in a refrigerator.

Ingredients for Indian spiced tomato chutneyPeeled tomatoes in a bowlcrushed tomato pulp in a bowl

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Tomato Chutney
Serves: makes 3-250 ml jars
 
Ingredients
  • 2 kg ( 4 ½ lbs) tomatoes
  • ¼ cup ginger, finely minced/puree
  • ¼ cup garlic, finely minced/ puree
  • 2 branches curry leaves (about 20 leaves)
  • 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup malt vinegar
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 4 tsp mustard seeds
  • 4 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 10 dried red Kashmiri chillies
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to boil. At the stem end of the tomato cut out the core. Make a light X marking in the bottom of the tomato. When the water has boiled blanch the tomatoes for 10-15 seconds and remove to a cold water bath. Peel off the separated skin. Cut each tomato into quarters and over a bowl with a sieve use your fingers to remove the pulp and seeds from the tomatoes. (I like to do this so that they are no seeds in the final product. If you do not mind having the seeds in the chutney omit this step). Save the pulp and discard the seeds. Chop the tomato quarters into a rough 1 inch dice.

In a coffee grinder, finely grind the mustard, cumin, fenugreek and chillies.

In a large heavy bottomed saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. When hot add the curry leaves and cook for 10 seconds. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and cook for a couple of minutes until the mixture is light brown. Toss in the ground spices and cook for another minute or two. Add in the tomatoes, pulp, vinegar, sugar and salt.Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat so that you have a medium simmer.

Every 10 minutes or so give the mixture a good stir so that it does not stick to the bottom. Let the mixture cook down for close to an hour or until it has a jam like consistency.

Bottle.

Cooked anglo Indian eggplant pickle in a bowl and glass jarsslices of peeled and cut eggplantIngredients for eggplant pickle, Indian style: eggplant, green chilies, cumin seeds, red chilies, garlic, ginger, turmeric
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Anglo Indian Eggplant Pickle
Serves: makes 2-500ml jars
 
Ingredients
  • 1.5 kg eggplant
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 branches curry leaves (about 30 leaves)
  • ¼ cup garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup ginger, minced
  • 8 green cayenne chillies, slit
  • 2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 10 dried red Kashmiri chillies
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 2 tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ cup malt vinegar
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 ½-2 tbsp salt
Instructions
Peel and cut eggplant into baby finger size pieces (1 X 4 inches). Place in a colander and toss with 1 tbsp salt. Place a weighted plate or bowl over it (I like to use a large can or two of tomatoes) and place in a sink or in a larger bowl for at least one hour. Dark bitter juices will be released from the eggplant. Try to gently squeeze out some more liquid from the eggplant.

In a coffee grinder, finely grind the fenugreek seeds and dried red chillies.

In a large heavy bottomed saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. When hot add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop add the cumin seeds and curry leaves and cook for 10 seconds. !Add the ginger, garlic and green chillies. Cook for a couple of minutes or until the mixture is light brown. Toss in the turmeric and ground spices and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the eggplant, vinegar, sugar and salt. Reduce the heat to low and cook the eggplant for about 10-15 minutes or until done. The eggplant should hold its shape and not become a mushy mass. Adjust seasonings if need be. Bottle.

NOTE: This was originally posted on my blog India On My Plate on August 16, 2011