For the first batch I made a further slight adaptation to the Mango Chutney I made last year and the year before. Instead of laboriously peeling the ginger and chopping it, I gave it a good brush under a running hot tap, then liquidised it with some of the vinegar with my handheld blender before putting it into the preserving pan with the rest of the ingredients. Also instead of sweet red pepper I used a teaspoon and a half of my Cornish Chilli Sea Salt.
For the other half of the Mangoes I chose a recipe from the Women's Institute Book of Preserves. True to myself I did alter it a little and changed the technique to suit my liking for some whole seeds, and used organic Biona Cider Vinegar as a matter of course, rather than malt vinegar.
Mangoes about 1.5Kg prepared and chopped flesh, slightly under ripe
350g soft light brown sugar
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large tsp coriander seeds
1.5 tsp Nigella Seeds
1 tsp light mustard seeds
1 level tsp turmeric
50g fresh ginger
400ml cider vinegar
4 cloves of garlic
1 medium brown onion chopped finely
1tsp Cornish Chilli Sea Salt
I left the Mango pieces to steep in the soft brown sugar all Friday afternoon, and slowly the sugar drew out the juice from the pieces which were shrinking!!!! So that evening I chose to make both batches of chutney at the same time.
In a small frying pan I heated through the cumin and coriander seeds gently until I could smell their aroma, then ground them in my spice mill with the turmeric and sea salt to give it some bulk. Then I gently heated up the mustard seeds and Nigella Seeds but kept these whole. The ginger was carefully brushed under the hot tap, then with the skin on, was sliced then added to half the vingar with the garlic, and blended together in a small jug, using the hand held electric blender.
All the ingredients then went into the jamming pan. There was more liquid than for the other chutney as there was the juice drawn out of the mango, so it needed quite a bit longer to boil down to get to the right consistency, and therefore for the same amount of fruit gave less chutney. It is a darker, sticker, more spicy and aromatic chutney and it will be very interesting to compare them in a couple of months when they are matured a little more.
Here are the jars...the smallest jar is a blend of both...well I didn't want to have to waste any? If you have only had Mango Chutney with curries, then you are in for a treat if you try it in a cheese sandwich, or laced through a sauce to accompany duck. Alongside a cheesy cauliflower cheese it gives that edge of sweetness and spice, and with a chunk of freshly baked bread, a supper good enough for the most discerning palate!
