Chutney

A chutney (pronounced [ˈʧəʈɳiː]) is a condiment associated with cuisines of the Indian subcontinent. Chutneys are made in a wide variety of forms, such as a tomato relish, a ground peanut garnish, yogurt, or curd, cucumber, spicy coconut, spicy onion, or mint dipping sauce.

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Chutney
Different types of chutneys from Bengaluru, India
Alternative names	blatjang, chatni, pachadi, satni, thambuli
Place of origin	Indian subcontinent
Region or state	South Asia, Britain, Western world
Associated cuisine	Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom
Main ingredients	Vegetables, fruits, vinegar, salt, spices.
Cookbook: Chutney Media: Chutney

Indian cuisine

Similar in preparation and usage to a pickle, simple spiced chutneys can be dated to 500 BC.^[5] Originating in India,^[6] chutneys are used as spicy relishes to accompany plain staples such as rice.^[3] Indian meals typically comprise a dish of meat, a dish of pulses, rice or bread, a yoghurt relish (raita or dahi), and a homemade chutney.^[7]

The flavourings are freshly ground each day, and include spices such as chili and ginger as well as herbs like coriander and mint. The body of the chutney may consist of fruits or vegetables, with regional variations. Coconut is the most used in South India; herb and coconut is liked in Western India; while unripe mango chutney is preferred in North India. Chutneys made only with herbs are used in both Western and North India. Tomato chutney is consumed in all parts of India. In Kashmir, chutneys variously use sour cherries, pumpkins, radishes, or walnuts.^[3]

Some chutneys, such as fresh coriander chutney, are uncooked: they consist simply of the fresh green leaves ground up with flavourings, such as fresh green chili, lemon juice, salt, cumin, and black pepper.^[8] Other kinds contain fruits cooked like a preserve with sugar and flavoured with spices such as garlic, cayenne pepper, and ginger.^[9]

Diego Álvarez Chanca brought back chili peppers from the Americas to Spain in 1493. He had sailed with Columbus. After discovering their medicinal properties, Chanca developed a chutney to administer them. In the early 17th century, officials of the East India Company on the Indian subcontinent subsisted on preserved foodstuffs such as lime pickles, chutneys and marmalades. Beginning in the 17th century, fruit chutneys were shipped to various European countries as luxury goods. These imitations were called "mangoed" fruits or vegetables, as the word 'chutney' was associated with the working class in these countries.^[5]

Anglo-Indian cuisine

Anglo-Indians greatly like chutneys and pickles, and prepare many kinds. For the pickled varieties, vegetables such as aubergines and bell peppers may be packed with chilies, mustard seed, and turmeric to give them a strong flavour; these may be cooked in mustard oil or sesame oil. Some fruits are prepared by pickling, soaking mangoes and limes in salty water in a pot which is left in the sun. For the sweet chutneys, fruits such as mango are cooked with sugar, vinegar, and spices. Uncooked chutneys use ingredients such as green coriander leaves and coconut, flavoured with chili, tamarind, and sugar; these are prepared afresh each day.^[10]

Major Grey's Chutney, a sweet and spicy variety, was supposedly created by a likely apocryphal 19th-century British Army officer of the British Raj, adapting Indian cuisine to Anglo-Indian taste. Its characteristic ingredients are mango, raisins, vinegar, lime juice, onion, tamarind extract, sweetening and spices. Several companies produce a Major Grey's Chutney, in India, the UK and the US. The formula was sold to Crosse and Blackwell, a major British food manufacturer, probably in the early 1800s.^[11]^[12]

To Britain

In the 17th century, in the time of the East India Company, British travellers to India noticed the many chutneys and pickles, called achar. Sailors found that the preserve-like varieties were useful accompaniments to their maritime diet of salt meat and dry ship's biscuit. Quantities were brought home to Britain, whether by individual travellers or by merchants, soon to be copied by cooks.^[13]

In the absence of the heat of the Indian sun to ferment their chutneys, vinegar was added to pickle the chutney vegetables.^[13] Instead of Indian limes, mangoes, and tamarind, British cooks used fresh fruits and vegetables such as apples, marrows, and onions with an equal weight of brown sugar,^[13]^[14] with the addition of dried sultanas.^[13] Hot British spices like mustard powder and horseradish substituted for chili.^[13] A liking for Indian pickle-style chutneys led Anglo-Indian cooks to devise piccalilly relish made with vegetables, vinegar, salt, and yellow turmeric.^[13]^[14] Influenced by Anglo-Indian cuisine, chutney is often eaten with hard cheese or with cold meats.^[14] Western-style chutneys may include flavourings such as salt, garlic, tamarind, onion or ginger.^[15]

Etymology and nomenclature

History

Indian cuisine

Anglo-Indian cuisine

To Britain

In other countries

See also

References

Sources

Further reading

External links

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