Late summer and early autumn is harvest time in Tasmania, and with any luck you have loads of tomatoes, zucchinis, apples or stone fruit from your garden, a relative’s garden – or your local Hill Street store – which are just perfect to be made into a chutney or relish. Get bottling with our guide.
You can’t argue with the magical uplift a rich and spicy chutney or relish gives to a dish, long after its original ingredients are out of season. Here’s how to put up a few jars in your own pantry, to dip into in the months to come.
There’s a bit of conjecture about the difference between chutney and relish. Tasmania’s expert on all things bottled, Sally Wise, says that chutneys are made from finely sliced or chopped fruit and vegetables, cooked very slowly to allow a smooth texture and rounded flavour to develop. Relishes, on the other hand, are cooked for a shorter time, with the resultant relish chunkier and more sharply flavoured than a chutney.
Some people argue that a chutney will always contain mainly fruit or a mixture of fruits, and relishes are generally made of vegetables, and usually one variety. Then, let’s not get started as to whether tomatoes are regarded as fruits rather than vegetables for the purposes of this argument!
Definitions aside, chutneys and relishes are a great way to deal with a glut of something you have growing in the garden, or when fruit and tomatoes are cheaper at the height of summer.
The word “chutney” comes from the Hindi word “chatni”. Chatni is used in Indian cuisines as a condiment, and is made from fruits, vinegar, sugar and spices. It was brought to England in the days of the Raj and the spiciness considerably reduced for English palates. It’s generally used as a sauce accompanying meats and in Indian cuisine to accompany anything from deep fried snacks to curries.
Tips for great chutneys and relishes
- Use only fruit and vegetables at the peak of their freshness. Cut off any blemishes and reject any which are past their best. If not, you will be introducing mould or bacteria and the whole batch may spoil.
- Wash all fruits and vegetables and pat dry.
- Don’t rush. Let the onions break down with the vinegar and spices for about 20 minutes, and then add your fruit.
- Chutneys especially require a long slow cooking time so let them simmer on low and stir every now and then to stop anything catching on the bottom of the pan. A good chutney will take at least two hours to cook, and should be thick without any vinegary liquid separating out when you stir it. A wooden spoon dragged through should leave a clear line.
- Always jar your chutney in sterilised jars. This is easy to do in your own oven – read this to learn how.
- Once the chutney or relish is in the jar shake the jar a little and gently tap it on the bench to make sure the chutney fills the jar and there are no air pockets.
- Label and store in a cool dark place. Your recipe should tell you how long your chutney or relish should rest before eating. Eating it too soon might result in too vinegary a chutney or relish. They need time to mellow.
Here are some recipes to try from Hill Street’s recipe collection:
Comice pear and apple chutney
Quick tomato chutney
Fresh peach chutney
Spiced mango chutney
Spiced pineapple chutney
Mango and apple chutney
FAQs
The Chutney offers a sweet yet savoury flavour and the Sweet Relish a tart, fresh and tangy one. The Coconut Chutney's Indian flavours go well with grilled meats or vegetables and the Sweet Pickle Relish is a play on our ballpark favourite.
What is the difference between a chutney and a relish? ›
The Chutney offers a sweet yet savoury flavour and the Sweet Relish a tart, fresh and tangy one. The Coconut Chutney's Indian flavours go well with grilled meats or vegetables and the Sweet Pickle Relish is a play on our ballpark favourite.
What is the difference between pickle and chutney and relish? ›
CHUTNEY: A thick, sticky mixture of fruit and vegetables, cooked with spices, sugar and vinegar. PICKLE: Lightly cooked larger pieces of fruit and vegetables preserved in vinegar and spices. RELISH: A softer more chunky condiment with a piquant sauce.
How long should you leave chutney before eating? ›
6. Allow to Mature. Chutneys are best eaten after a long maturing period so we recommend storing them in a cool, dry dark place and leaving them for no less than 8 weeks before opening them.
Do I cool chutney before putting in jars? ›
Fill the hot dry jars right to the top – preserves shrink slightly on cooling and a full jar means less trapped condensation. Seal the jars while still hot. This rule applies to all jams, jellies, pickles and chutneys.
What is chutney called in America? ›
Relish. Chutney and relish are two popular condiments, and the names are often interchanged. The confusion is understandable because chutneys can be savory, and relishes can be sweet. In general, chutneys have a chunky spreadable consistency much like a preserve and are usually made with fruit.
What is the most common type of chutney? ›
Mango Chutney - One of the most common styles of chutney, mango chutney contains mango, ginger, garlic, and vinegar.
What the heck is chutney? ›
Chutney is a condiment or spread made from chopped fruit cooked with vinegar, spices and sometimes sugar, that can be served fresh or preserved. It's often associated with Indian cuisine.
Why is it called chutney? ›
The word chutney derives from Hindi चटनी chaṭnī, deriving from चाटना chāṭnā 'to lick' or 'to eat with appetite'. In India, chutney refers to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately; however, several Indian languages use the word for fresh preparations only.
Is relish just chopped up pickles? ›
In the United States, the most common relish is made from chopped pickled cucumbers, either dill or sweet pickles. It's used as a topping on sandwiches, burgers and hot dogs. But in other parts of the world, popular relishes are made with other ingredients.
Vinegar used in making chutney must be good quality and have at least 5% acetic acid content. Any good brand white, malt, wine or cider vinegar should possess the correct qualities. Brown sugar is used for darker coloured chutney but where a lighter colour is required granulated sugar is recommended.
Why does my chutney taste so vinegary? ›
Our answer
If you made a double quantity it may take longer for the acid in the vinegar to mellow, unless you used a particularly wide pan that would help the vinegar to evaporate more easily. So it is worth tasting the chutney before you transfer it to jars, to make sure that the mixture is not too acidic.
How to tell if chutney is done? ›
As it thickens, stir more frequently and watch that the sugar does not begin to stick to the bottom of the pan. The chutney is done when you can scrape a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan and the chutney does not flow back into the gap.
What if my homemade chutney is too runny? ›
The most common method is to simply cook it for longer, until the excess water evaporates and the chutney thickens naturally. This can take a while, so be patient and stir the chutney frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
How to tell if chutney has gone bad? ›
The best way to tell if opened chutney is bad is to check the smell and appearance. If it has an odd taste, an off odor, or if you see mold on it, throw it out immediately.
Do you need to put wax discs on chutney? ›
If you are making a chutney then make sure that the lid is plastic coated as metal can react with the acid in the chutney. If you are using a lid with a rubber seal we would suggest that you press a wax paper disc on to the surface of the jam or chutney then add the seal and screw the lid on tightly.
What makes something a chutney? ›
Chutney is made from fruits, vegetables, and/or herbs with vinegar, sugar, and spices. It's used to provide balance to an array of dishes, or highlight a specific flavor profile. Broadly, the word chutney is now applied to anything preserved in sugar and vinegar, regardless of its texture, ingredients, or consistency.
What's the difference between chutney salsa and relish? ›
Chutney and relish generally use finely chopped fruits and vegetables. Salsa ingredients are usually cut larger than for chutney or relish. 5. Chutney and salsa are of a “dip” consistency (thickness), whereas relish and coulis are thinner and are not used as a dip.
Is chutney a sauce or condiment? ›
Chutney is a condiment (Also referred to as a sauce, which is handmade and crafted with various ingredients) used to add flavour to food. Unlike your traditional sauces, chutney is made of chopped fruits, vinegar and spices that are cooked into a chutney spread.
