Tomato Chutney with Apricots and Peppers

adapted from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey

pottery by Troy Bungart

recipe and photo by Valerie Bungart

Measure and have ready all ingredients because ingredients need to be added quickly, one after another.

1 Tablespoon ghee, coconut oil or your preferred high temp oil

1 dash asafoetida (a powdered resin that "stinks" so must be stored in an airtight container, but which is a savory enhancer that releases a mild garlicy or oniony flavor when heated - highly regarded as a digestive aid when cooked with legume dishes or gassy vegetables)

1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons whole panch phoron spice blend (roughly equal parts of cumin, mustard, fenugreek, nigella and fennel seeds)

1-2 dashes dried red pepper flakes (to taste)

1 Tablespoon minced fresh or refrigerated ginger root (to taste)

1 Tablespoon minced fresh or refrigerated garlic (to taste)

1 to 1-1/4 pounds of ripe tomatoes blanched, peeled then diced (use liquid with pulp in recipe)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 - 1/3 cup white granulated sugar

1/2 large jalapeño pepper, deseeded and deveined then chopped

1/2 large hungarian wax mild pepper, deseeded and deveined then chopped

10 dried whole pitted apricots, chopped

Heat oil in pan over medium to medium-high heat (do not allow it to smoke or burn) then turn down to medium to medium-low just before adding ingredients.

Add dash of asafoetida then panch phoron. Stir for 20-30 seconds and add red pepper flakes, ginger and garlic and stir to brown but not burn. Add diced tomatoes, salt and sugar and stir.

Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The whole spices will absorb liquid and release flavors. The sugar should help (along with the evaporation) to thicken the chutney.

Add the green peppers and apricots, stir and continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chutney is done when it reaches the desired consistency. Its thickens somewhat upon cooling. I'm happy with mine when it is like salsa.

Yield: 1-1/2 to 2 cups

Note: If you prefer a more traditional chutney thickness and sweetness (like preserves), you may reserve the tomato liquid after dicing and only add it to the pot as needed to keep from burning and/or add additional sugar up to 1/2 cup total.

Also, this is a mild-ish piquant heat level as given. M Jaffrey’s recipe calls for a much greater quantity of dried/flaked and fresh hot peppers. I prefer full flavor but less heat, and so I offer this tweak of a fine recipe and recommend my reader to one of M Jaffrey’s exemplary cookbooks for a more authentic taste of India’s many cuisines.

Photo: Also pictured are toasted red pepper crackers and cherry tomatoes with a garnish of panch phoron (too hard and pungent to eat uncooked!), a clove of garlic and a pepper (I use regular size tomatoes when making the actual chutney)

Tomato Chutney with Apricots and Peppers

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