What is chutney?

by Nicole Weston, Posted Jul 29th 2006 @ 9:01AM

Chutney is becoming a more and more popular condiment, but most people don't know exactly what it is - in large part because there are so many different kinds of chutney available.

Chutney, in its basic form, is a condiment that contains fruit, vinegar, sugar and spices. It originated in India and was discovered by the Western world when British soldiers and colonists brought recipes back to England, along with other popular Indian foods, such as curries. It can be thick and chunky or smooth, and has a heat level that can range from very sweet to very spicy. The mixtures can be either cooked or uncooked and virtually all of them rely on the addition of chilies for heat. Mango chutney is probably the most popular variety, in part because mangoes are a popular fruit in India, but also because it was the first chutney that was widely available to Europeans.

Broadly, a chutney is basically a type of relish and there are really and endless number of variations that can be made on the theme, such as Fresh Peach Chutney, Melon Apple Chutney, Green Tomato Chutney and (of course) Mango Chutney.

Filed Under: Did you know?, Ingredients
Tags: asia, british, chutney, condiment, condiments, did you know, food trend, fruit, india, indian, mango chutney, relish, trend, trendy, vinegar, what is chutney

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-29-2006 @12:09PM Angela Pitt said... I love chutney on cinnamon-raisin bagels, my favorite is gingered-pear chutney (I make it myself.)

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7-29-2006 @7:46PM MJ said... Theres a great pear and ginger chutney I used to be able to get great with chicken or lamb from austriala Also love peach chutney perfer mine sweeter than hot!
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