Chutney Freestyle

February 23, 2016 — 1 Comment

I followed the recipe above to make mango chutney last summer a couple of times. The first time I measured and made an effort to be accurate, even though I cut the sugar in half. The second time I whipped up a batch I made some changes to suit my own taste, but still kept to the recipe basically.  This week I decided I was expert enough to make my third batch freestyle, and I am very pleased with the outcome.  I only had three mangoes, so I roughly guessed about the proportions of other ingredients.  I tasted my way as I added sugar, molasses and apple cider vinegar to discover the balance I like the best.  I used the rest of my jar of molasses just because it was almost empty.  The last bit was dissolved in vinegar to get it out of the jar.  The extra molasses gave the product a darker color and a deeper taste as well.  The biggest change I made was ramping up the spices, including the hot chile.  The result is very spicy and tangy.  The flavors meld over time, so the flavor will be more integrated after a few days in the fridge.

mango onion garlic

with brown sugar and molasses

extra spices in mortar

simmer

finished chutney

This has given me such a kick.  I really enjoy improvisation in the kitchen because it thrills my creative side and expresses my own taste and personality.  This is, in my opinion, the best batch I have made.  I look forward to using it in many ways.  If you have not attempted chutney making I enthusiastically encourage you to try your hand. The precess is very forgiving.  You can change the end result if you want it more sweet, sour, or spicy.   I plan to move on to other kinds of chutney, now that I feel confident in my skills.  I think I will also try my hand at some ketchup, which is another take on the sweet/sour sauce.  Do you like to follow the directions, gentle reader, or do like to freestyle when you cook?  I have a peach tree, so I can well imagine fermented peach chutney in my future.  Variety is, indeed, the spice of life.