Niloufer Ichaporia King's Parsi Tomato Chutney

So, er, this is awkward, since I already told you about a tomato jam in August. And, er, yes, you're right, tomato season is all but over. (Not entirely, but almost.) But I kind of need you to forget all about that other tomato jam and the fact that the tomatoes at the market are dwindling fast. Forget about all that right away. Today. Now.

Because a few weeks ago I made a tomato chutney from this book by way of The Traveler's Lunchbox and, it's the most curious thing, I haven't been able to stop spooning it out of the jar since. It is quite something. I mean, who eats chutney from a spoon? This is not the kind of thing I am usually in the habit of doing. Just so we're clear. But this is no ordinary chutney, no.

This tomato chutney makes my mouth glow on the inside, which is a most wondrous feeling. And it tastes incredible, like a tomato come to life in the middle of an Indian jungle, though I am biased, it's true: you could coat a tomato in tar and I'd probably still want to eat it.

Let me try to describe it at least. Imagine a tomato, all fresh and succulent, cooked down into jamminess with fiery bits of ginger and garlic and rust-colored cayenne. There are raisins, for a little extra sweetness, and cloves and cinnamon, too. But then there's a big glug of vinegar that straightens everyone's collars out and makes your mouth pucker with pleasure. Between the vinegar and the cayenne and all that fresh ginger and garlic, the chutney is incendiary, in the best possible way. 

I could almost guarantee that you will find yourself hoarding it, instead of giving it away as you might think you would after lining up all your neatly-filled crimson jars just after filling them. It's the one thing in my pantry that I can't part with. Not yet.

I like putting it on a cold chicken sandwich, for example. Or dolloping it next to a piece of plain, sautéed fish to goose it up a little. I've eaten it with sharp cheddar on nice bread for a lunch that lingered in my mouth long after I finished. And it's brilliant with eggs, scrambled or fried. Best of all is chopped into homemade egg salad. Good night!

But like I said, I've also eaten it straight from the jar, which I'm a little embarrassed to admit, but you know, sometimes it's just best to be honest about this kind of thing.

Whatever you decide to do with it, the point is: make it. Today. Now. Before the very last plum tomatoes have gone.

And if they already are gone, forgive me, kind reader, for winding you up. It was cruel of me, I know. To make it up to you, maybe I could even send you one of my jars? Maybe. Let me think about it. I'll get back to you.

Niloufer Ichaporia King's Parsi Tomato Chutney
Source: The Traveler's Lunchbox
Makes about four 8- to 10-ounce jars; recipe can easily be doubled

3 pounds (1.5 kilos) ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup finely-julienned peeled ginger (about one 2.5-inch/6-cm-long piece)
1/2 cup thinly-sliced garlic (about one large head)
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) cider vinegar
1/2 to 1 cup (75 to 150 grams) raisins (optional)
2 cups (400 grams) turbinado sugar
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 small cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt

1. Open a window or two in your kitchen. Place all the ingredients in a heavy nonreactive pot and, over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, stirring well. Continue to cook, stirring every five to seven minutes (more frequently towards the end of the cooking time), until the chutney has the consistency of a soft jam, about an hour. Be careful not to scorch the chutney.

2. While the chutney is cooking, sterilize four or five glass jars and lids in boiling water or a hot oven. When the chutney has finished cooking, ladle it carefully into the clean jars and quickly screw on the lids. Turn the jars upside-down to cool. If you plan to eat the chutney within a few weeks of making it, there's no need to can it; simply keep it in the fridge.

Comments

[genia]

Making this asap. I will get the last bit of tomatoes left at the market and hoard all the jars to myself.

[BlondeBomber]

This looks like just about the perfect Sunday evening sauce! mmm, I must try this!

[Debra Weiner]

Sounds like this would be divine accompanying some cumin-scented lamburgers or meatballs, as well a bruschetta like topping for Indian nan or kulcha breads.

[A Plum By Any Other Name]

I will take spoonfuls of tomato chutneys, jams, and et cetera any day. Not awkward. You have to squeeze every last bit from the little buggers while the season allows. So I say bravo, have another spoonful. ;)

[Tracy]

That pucker of vinegar woke me right up—and I see nothing wrong with eating it straight from the jar. Looks like it would be brilliant on a burger...

[KimB]

Sounds fantastic as a tasty bite with a ripe triple cream, flatbread and a great cote-du-rhone...

Luisa, do you skin the tomatoes, or leave on? If the later, are they noticeable in the finished product? Thanks!

[Amy]

You have a fantastic way of making things I ordinarily wouldn't take a second glance at seem more like a "how have I lived without trying this before" type of thing. I'm bookmarking this... although I'm afraid it might have to wait a couple seasons to try it out for me. :)

[tea_austen]

It cracks me up when I have parallel experiences with friends living on the other side of the world. It's somehow comforting.

I too made tomato jam earlier, it was good, but I wanted something more chutney-like. So I added ginger, mustard seeds, cumin, onion. It turned into the most amazing tomato chutney that I couldn't stop eating. On bread, on top of curried cabbage, by the spoonful.

There's only one jar of that batch, which is supposed to be sent to a friend. I made another batch, but the late season tomatoes had a much thinner flavor. Mind you, I'm still eating it, but it's not as good. I didn't bother to can it. It's in the fridge, where I go with a spoon.

The problem is: what do I do with that sole jar of tomato happiness? Do I send it to the friend (in Canada, where they will likely lose the package, because Canadian mail service hates me) or am I a selfish prat and do I keep it for my own pleasure?

Hard choices, I tell you. Hard choices!

[Karey Bakker]

This is just what I need! Tomato chutney is on my list to make, tonight possibly, along with that apple cobbler that's been on my mind for the past few days - the CSA apples are a' flowing right now as you might imagine. Like CSA potatos in the winter - what to dow ith them all?! But..BUT, since you mentioned it.. If you want to send one of your jars of chutney all the way to Brooklyn - this loyal fan of yours would feel on top of the world!! :-)

[betty]

It looks really good and perfect to top on a toasted bread!

[Maria]

This sounds like a delicious party of flavors in your mouth. And I love that incendiary red color.

[stacey snacks]

Tomato season is officially over in NJ, but I will bookmark this for next year when I have a zillion tomatoes........that's a lot of garlic and ginger lady! Sounds delish! Hope you are feeling better.

[charlotte au chocolat]

Seriously? Your writing is pretty darn incredible. This chutney looks and sounds absolutely delicious.

[Malia]

I don't blame you, I want to eat this with a spoon too!

[Luisa]

KimB - I don't skin the tomatoes, nor does the original recipe tell you to. If you are finicky about tomato skin, then you should skin them. But I don't mind it (nor did I notice it in the finished chutney, though I wasn't really looking out for any skin).

Amy - thank you!

Tea - I think you already know the answer to that question? Or at least MY answer to that question??

Karey - send me your address. Quick! Before I change my mind! :)

Stacey - my flu has morphed into a cold! And a strange hacking cough! Life's a bowlful of cherries around here. :)

Charlotte - thank you! You made my day.

[Sarahlincoln]

Sounds so awesome, but one question!

What is turbinado sugar sold as in Berlin supermarkets?

Cheers from Mitte!

[Luisa]

Sarah - turbinado sugar is also known as Demerara, Rohrzucker and raw sugar, among other names.

[Molly]

oh, holy hootenanny! darned if i don't have several pounds of green-ripening-to-red last-of-the-season tomatoes lining my window sills, wondering what on earth to do with the rest (can you imagine? i couldn't either). last night: yet another caprese. night before: pizza margherita. tonight: salsa, zipped up with lime and cilantro.

but tomorrow? oh my. i think it might just be chutney.

[Gadia]

sweet luisa,

I have a pot of tingly warm spicy steaming tomato chutney cooking on the stove right now. I love how your writing fires my tastebuds and imagination and sends me right into the kitchen and inspires me again. thank you.

[Caffettiera]

Autumn officially started today here. It is all wet and grey and a bit miserable. I think I need some tomato chutney to face it. A little sunshine in a jar. Thank you for it.

[Liz]

This looks great! You describe it so well I'm getting hungry!
It's actually quite nice that the fruit and vegetables over here in Berlin change with the seasons. Coming from Australia, we seem to basically have everything all year round, except for mangoes and cherries (and even they seem to come out earlier every year).

[Robyn]

Oh, I love, love LOVE tomato chutney. And since your tomato jam post, I have been ADDICTED to fried egg on toast smeared with my Dad's tomato chutney... I had no idea how to eat it before that.

[Suzy]

Oh Mama! I def. want to try this, save me some. Give me the last dredges in the jar even.

[Neil]

I am sure that this chutney would be stunning on curry.

[Sasha Gora]

i was sold when i read that this recipe includes raisins. i am not even the biggest raisin fan; however, there is something about the idea of putting them into chutney that just sounds exciting and right.

[The Starving Student]

You know a condiment is good when you are spooning it out of a jar and straight into your mouth! Yep, I've definitely done it before...occasionally with mayonnaise based products. Don't judge me.

[The Rowdy Chowgirl]

This might be the answer for the big pile of fall tomatoes ripening on my counter! Looks delicious.

[Wave watcher]

I'm hoping I will be able to find some good tomatoes. Six months ago, nay two months ago, I would not have been interested in this, but a month ago I made a recipe for pasta with roasted tomatoes that CHANGED my mind about tomatoes. I was never a tomato lover. Now I can't get enough of the cooked variety. The sauce had Italian seasonings. These seasonings sound intriguing! And to MAYBE have them (if they last that long) when there are no fresh tomatoes to be had.

[Tori @ eat-tori]

Nothing wrong with eating things straight out of the jar. What's slightly more embarrassing is extending a finger out and trying to swipe a lick from a screen because something looks so good. I can imagine draping this over grilled shrimp. And swooning.

[Mia]

Pleeeeease tell me where you get good sharp cheddar here in Berlin! I haven't been able to find anything (the few that I've tried have made me so dejected in that department that I can't face trying more types--at least not without recommendation). <3 your blog, can't wait for the book.

[Luisa]

Mia - I sometimes buy Cathedral cheddar (Kaiser's carries it) which isn't bad, but that's about it. When I go to London to visit friends, I always bring home at least two blocks of Cheddar.

[Irina]

Okay, fine, this looks amazing. I have always wanted to make tomato chutney, since I pretty much adore anything with tomatoes, and adore chutneys. But it's almost November! Where am I supposed to get decent tomatoes? Too cruel...

[Parsicuisine Recipes]

Great recipe!

[BUDDY]

Wow, very impressive.I always loved tomato chutney and my daughters as well. I always bought tomato every time I go to the market. It is always important that you choose fresh tomatoes.

[Allison]

My husband has a new found love for little side sauces to go with any meat, poultry or fish, pan cooked. This looks like a great one!

[Lucylew]

I made this earlier today. Insanely good. I don't think I'll be sharing the other jars either...

[Tracy A.]

Fireworks in my mouth! This is a keeper. It's divine on baguette rounds with a topper of triple-cream cheese, and crazy good mixed into Caesar dressing for a crunchy romaine 'wow' salad. I'm going to fit this into our Thanksgiving menu, not because I'm certain of a good pairing but because I MUST have more and sharing it seems somehow altruistic. Thank you.

[Mela]

This looks so good and not so hard to make! I always see jars of chutney at the grocery store and I always wonder what they would be good with - putting it in a chicken sandwich sounds perfect.