Preparation:
*Mangoes can be unripe, half-ripe or part unripe and part ripe. Using part
or all almost-ripe fruit will yield a chutney with a softer texture. If you
like jammy chutney, cut the fruit into small bits; for a chunky product,
use 1/2" or larger cubes and stop cooking the mixture as soon as the fruit
pieces are translucent.
**In place of the crushed dried red pepper, can substitute 2 dried hot
peppers (each 2 1/2 to 3" long) which have been seeded and crumbled, or 1
tb. finely minced red or green fresh hot peppers. Increase any of these if
you are sure you want a hotter chutney.
Crumble tamarind into a small bowl and stir in 1 1/2 cups of the water; let
tamarind soak for at least an hour, meanwhile preparing the remaining
ingredients. Or substitute the fresh lime juice plus 1/2 cup of water at
this point.
Peel and dice the mangoes, cutting them into small pieces for a jamlike
chutney, into 1/2" or larger dice for a chunky mixture. Place the pieces in
a preserving pan. Add the onions, raisins, currants, ginger, garlic, lemon
zest, brown and granulated sugars, mustard seed, salt, crushed hot red
pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, ground red pepper, white vinegar and
the remaining 1 cup water; stir the mixture and let it rest until the
tamarind "juice" is ready, or for up to several hours, if that is
convenient.
When the tamarind pulp is very soft, strain the liquid through a sieve,
pressing it to remove all possible liquid and any pulp that will pass
through. Discard the pulp remaining in the sieve. Add the liquid to the
chutney mixture.
Set the pan over medium heat and bring the ingredients to a boil. Lower the
heat so the mixture simmers and cook it, uncovered, stirring often, until
the mango and onion pieces are translucent and the chutney has thickened to
the consistency of preserves, 1 to 2 hours depending on the firmness of the
fruit. (The chutney will thicken further in the jar, so don't reduce it
too much.) If the chutney threatens to stick before the mango pieces are
translucent, add a little water.
Remove chutney from the heat, cool a sample, and taste it for tartness,
sweetness, and degree of hotness. (The overall flavor is elusive at this
point, but these factors can be judged.) If you wish, add a little more
vinegar, sugar or ground hot red pepper.
Reheat the chutney to boiling and ladle it into hot, clean pint or
half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4" of headspace. Seal the jars; process
for 15 minutes (for either size jar) in a boiling-water bath. Cool, label,
and store the jars for a least a month so that its many flavors can blend
and balance. This will keep for at least a year in a cool pantr |
