There is an abundance of yellow plums on our island right now, it seems. I was gifted with a bag of them and we couldn’t eat them all. I decided to make chutney out of the remainder, but I didn’t really want to make the usual British/American-style sweet and vinegar-y type with dried fruit in it. I wanted one that had Indian spices in it and a little heat.
I came up with one that we really love! It’s easy to make and is a great accompaniment to samosas, dosa (Indian grain and bean crepes) and any number of other yummy, snacky items. It contains NO vinegar– the acidity in the plums is just perfect.
I cooked down the chutney in an open Pyrex batter bowl in the microwave. I’ve made small batches of jam and marmalade this way and it worked well. It also saves energy (appliances like microwaves take less energy than stove burners). But you can cook it on the stovetop if you prefer.
I’m sure that purple plums and other soft fruits could be used in this recipe, as well.
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA’S SPICY GOLDEN PLUM CHUTNEY
Yield: 5 half-pint jars
The flavoring is a tadka— tempered spices quickly in hot oil. Oil-fried spices are said to have a brighter and fresher aroma than dry-roasted spices. PS: Next time I’m going to try adding the tadka after cooking down the chutney and see if it makes a difference in flavor. Will report back.
Tadka:
1/4 cup liquid oil of choice
1 Tbsp yellow mustard seeds
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
1 Tbsp cumin seeds
3 Tbsp chopped pickled (sliced) jalapeno peppers
Other Ingredients:
6 cups chopped pitted golden (yellow) plums
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup light-colored organic unbleached sugar
3 Tbsp grated fresh ginger root
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp ground turmeric
In a heavy skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add the mustard and fennel seed. When it begins to pop, turn heat to Low and add the cumin seeds and chopped jalapeno peppers. Cover and cook for about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Mix together the chopped pitted plums and both kinds of sugar in a microwave-safe 2 qt. batter bowl. Stir in the ginger, salt, turmeric and the tadka.
Microwave the mixture on High for about 15 minutes. Stir the mixture and microwave for about 10 more minutes, or until the mixture has thickened, the seeds are suspended evenly in the mixture (rather than mostly floating towards the top), and the level of the mixture is at about 5 cups.
IF YOU PREFER TO COOK THE CHUTNEY IN A POT ON THE STOVETOP, heat to boiling in a medium pot, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer the mixture until it has reduced to about 5 cups and has thickened.
Pour into sterilized half-pint jars and screw on the caps. I froze mine, but they can be water-bath canned for 10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per 2 Tbsp. serving): 41 calories, 14 calories from fat, 1.6g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 96.3mg sodium, 56mg potassium, 7.1g carbohydrates, less than 1g fiber, 6.3g sugar, less than 1g protein, 1.2 points.
Enjoy!
