Indian Tomato Chutney

This is one of our favorite condiments. We use it like ketchup and dip roasted potatoes in it. I also serve it on the side with rice and lentils (i.e., dal) for a little zing. Since my kids do not like mayonnaise, they use it on their cheddar cheese sandwiches and with cream cheese on a bagel. My kids do not share their dad’s appetite for peanut butter and tomato chutney sandwiches and were surprised when he packed them for their school lunch. This recipe is based the “Tomato Chutney” recipe in Vasantha Moorthy’s The Vegetarian Menu Cookbook, a cookbook your dad brought back from one of his trips to India.

One of the things I love about growing vegetables is the opportunity to try new recipes. To avoid wasting produce, I try different ways to preserve vegetables. I first made this recipe when we had a surplus of fresh garden tomatoes. It has since become a family standard, and we usually have a jar in the refrigerator. My son has a jar in his dorm fridge, too. During the summer, I make and freeze plenty of chutney. Although I have not tried yet, I think you could can this chutney. You can buy black mustard seeds at an Indian grocery store.

Since it highlights our Indian-American heritage, this is one of the recipes we contributed to your great aunt’s 70^th birthday cookbook. We have also shared jars of this chutney with our family friends. It is a particular favorite of one of my daughter’s friends.

Ingredients

2 1/3	Pounds	Tomatoes, peeled
6		Green Chilies (Thai, Serrano or jalapeno), silt
2	Tsp	Cayenne pepper
½	Tsp	Turmeric
2/3	Cup	Vegetable oil
2/3	Cup	Vinegar
1 ½	Tbsp	Salt
1/3	Cup	Sugar
6	Cloves	Garlic
1”	Piece	Ginger
1	Tbsp	Cumin Seeds
½	Tbsp	Mustard Seeds, black preferred

Directions

1. Using a knife, make an “X” on the bottom of each tomato. Heat water until boiling in a small pot. With a slotted spoon, put each tomato in boiling water for 10 seconds. When tomatoes are cool, peel, remove stem area, and cut small tomatoes into 8 pieces and large ones into 16 pieces. Set aside in a bowl.
2. Using a hand-held bender grind garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and vinegar together.
3. Heat the oil. Fry hot peppers for 1 minute. Then, slowly add ground spice mixture. Be careful since the paste splatters. Fry paste until oil surfaces.
4. Add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices. Cook until tomatoes turn soft.
5. Add the salt, sugar, cayenne pepper, and turmeric, and cook a few minutes.
6. Simmer stirring constantly until thick gravy is formed. Taste and adjust spices if necessary. I usually get your dad to taste for me. Optional, remove pepper skins from chutney.
7. Pour in a clean jar and store in the fridge or freezer.