Well, as its Easter, I thought I'd share with others an old recipe for
Bengal Chutney I found in an old handwritten recipe book I bought on EBay
(yes EBay!). There are lots of British recipes for Bengal Chutney as
those returning home from Indian Raj administration tried to recreate the
hot CHATNI they found in India. Most of the authentic Indian recipes
called for the use of mangoes but we made do with apples instead.

First of all, here is the recipe, and I'll add one or two notes at the end:

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2kg (3lb) cooking apples, cored and quartered.
100g (4oz) seedless dark raisins
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup (4oz) granulated sugar
3 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon white mustard seeds
Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
4 cups (32fl oz) white vinegar

METHOD

1. Mince together apples, raisins, and garlic
2. Place in a preserving pan with all the other ingredients
3. Bring to the boil and then simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon.
4. When you can draw a spoon across the pan and a "pathway" remains across
the chutney in the pan, its cooked.
5. Pour into warm jars and seal.

NOTES

a) I often have a glut of eating apples, which are sweeter. So I use
these and add the juice of another lemon to balance the flavour.
b) It's easier to get yellow mustard seeds here, so I use those without
any noticeable difference.
c) I have got a mincer but sometimes its easier to pulp in a food
processor. I haven't yet used a liquidiser....
d) The original recipe called for white (ie. distilled) vinegar, however I
usually use brown pickling vinegar. Cider vinegar and wine vinegar could
be used but I never have used them because of the expense.
e) The pan to be used should be of stainless steel or aluminium - not iron
under any circumstances unless its enamelled without any chips.
f) Jars should have lids that are glass or plastic or (plastic coated), be
thoroughly washed, dried and heated for 20 minutes in a slow oven (just
on). The lids and seals should have been immersed in boiling water until
use. As an amateur winemaker I generally wash the jars out with sodium
metabisulphate solution, too, then rinse with boiled water that is cold,
before they go in the oven.

I should add that many people find this version of Bengal Chutney to be
very hot (hot as in chilli flavour). I like my Bengal Chutney to be hot
so I add a couple of Birds Eye Chillis, seeds too, instead of the cayenne
pepper when mincing.

I hope this recipe is of interest to you and you all have a HAPPY EASTER!!!!
--

Old Rocker