Apricot Mango Chutney Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a thickening agent for chutney? ›

There are three ways to thicken the chutney: Add coriander powder to the chutney and blend it. Add dry mango powder to the chutney and mix it well. Add dry coconut powder to the chutney and blend it.

You can substitute mango chutney with apricot preserves or jam. Some peach marmalade can also do the trick. And another option is that you can try to mix some lightly cooked cranberries with a hint of lemon juice.

If your chutney is too runny or your recipe calls for a thickening agent, always use cornflour mixed with a little of the vinegar. Cornflour is gluten free. Always to this at the very end because thickening your chutney like this will make catch and burn easily.

Things to Do With Mango Chutney

Serve with meat, such as chicken, lamb, or pork. We love ours with roast chicken. You can also use chutney thinned with water, to glaze chicken or duck. Serve with cheese, like brie or cream cheese.

Vinegar is always needed to add the tang that chutneys deliver but also it helps preserve the mixture and as chutneys will sit around for a long time, that's important.

The sugar and vinegar are essential, too, for that quintessential sharp-sweet flavour and to preserve the chutney. If the jars have been sterilised correctly (watch our video for a failsafe method), the chutney will keep in a cool dark space for more than a year.

If the chutney is too runny then in our opinion the best solution is to put it into a pan and bring it back to the boil, then simmer rapidly until it is the required thickness. If you can do this in a couple of deep frying pans (not aluminium) then it should help to speed up the process.

Most chutneys are jams, without the pectin and with an addition of vinegar, dried fruit, and spices for savory notes. Indian cuisine often pairs mango-rich and acidic chutneys with spicy mains. There is no added pectin in a chutney, and the added sugar tends to be a little bit lower.

Chutney is different from a jam, in that jam is traditionally made of fruit, sugar and pectin whereas a chutney adds a more savory element, including ginger, chili, vinegar, herbs and spices. It's sweet but more savory, vinegary and spiced than a traditional jam.

Vinegar used in making chutney must be good quality and have at least 5% acetic acid content. Any good brand white, malt, wine or cider vinegar should possess the correct qualities. Brown sugar is used for darker coloured chutney but where a lighter colour is required granulated sugar is recommended.

Do you put homemade chutney in jars hot or cold? ›

Fill the hot dry jars right to the top – preserves shrink slightly on cooling and a full jar means less trapped condensation. Seal the jars while still hot. This rule applies to all jams, jellies, pickles and chutneys.

3. Allow for a long cooking time. It is essential that chutneys are allowed a long and slow cooking period in a pan that is not covered with a lid.

Lemon and orange. Avoid mangoes with citrus fruits or those that taste sour as it can interfere with the pH balance of the body.

You want to store the mango chutney in sterilized jars with a sealed lid. I use 250ml (8.5oz) Kilner jars <affiliate link. They can be kept in sealed jars in the refrigerator unopened for around 2-3 months. Once opened, so long as it's kept covered and refrigerated in between uses, it should last around a month.

Once opened, mango chutney should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator to preserve its quality. Opened chutney that's continuously refrigerated can last up to one month.

You can thicken the relish with 3 tablespoons of cornflour and a little vinegar if needed.

If the chutney seems too runny, cook it for another 5-10 minutes and test again. You may also like to give the chutney the odd stir as you cook it, to prevent the mixture at the edges of the pan from catching.