Hello there!
However, I was wondering if it's as complicated as making jam? I mean, do you need a double boiler, or can you just make small batches and keep them in the fridge?
In my opinion, making jam from scratch is more complicated than making a chutney. Jams are cooked in kind of a slow process especially if you don't add in the pectin which is what makes the jam set or thicken. If you don't use pectin, you could be stirring the mixture for hours!
You would let it boil once you add the ingredients: fruit and half the sugar. When you add the pectin in, you'd have to let it boil for about 10 minutes. You also have to wait for the mixture to boil before you put the second sugar in. Then, wait for it to settle and boil again before removing it gradually from the heat. As you can see, it involves quite a lot of boiling, waiting and stirring.
Ingredient-wise, there's also a lot of difference. Although both can use fruits, jam has a thicker consistency and has huge chunks of fruits at times. Since you would also sanitise the jars to be used for jam, it can survive for many months in your fridge. They can even last up to a year, although they could change colour past 6 months.
With making chutney, although you can use fruits, vegetables aren't uncommon to use as well. The consistency of chutneys are also smoother and not as chunky as jams. And it can be eaten with bread as well like jam, however, it's commonly served with idlis or dosas. It's common to find different kinds of chutney. Usually, one of the ingredient stands out in the chutney and that's how it is named.
You can also just use a blender to grind the ingredients. Personally, I have a Baby Bullet for making small batches of them. A food processor can also be used. But for the most part, even a simple blender can be enough to make a chutney. You would also need a pan where you would cook the tempering.
That's about it, as you won't really need to put the chutney in jars. Chutneys are best eaten fresh and can only be stored in a few days in the fridge. If you don't use tamarind, that lessens the shelf life of the chutney as well.
Anyway, I'd be interested in ideas if anyone else has ever made their own. If not, I guess I can scour cooking Websites for ideas.
I think you can find lots of recipes online. But I'd post one here, one that showcases how easy to make a chutney is. Here it is:
Garlic Chutney
Ingredients
- 6 to 7 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 cup coriander leaves
- 2 green chilies, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder
- half teaspoon of roasted cumin powder
- salt or pepper to taste
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients until it's a smooth consistency.
- Add some water but not too much.
- Serve with aloo pakora or potato fritters, bread or even kebab. Yum!
This can usually last for a few days in the fridge although it's better to consume it early. With other chutneys, you might need tempering ingredients and tempering as well. But it's basically just heating the ingredients in ghee or oil in the right temperature to bring out their flavours.
I hope this helps!
