Tomato Chutney

This is such a simple recipe, the hardest part is chopping your tomatoes and keeping an eye on the boiling process. I recommend doubling the recipe, especially if you have a load of tomatoes to use up. A jar of chutney is also a lovely gift for a foodie friend. The chutney lasts for 3-4 weeks in the fridge in a sealed glass jar, but honestly it never lasts that long in my house. It is delicious served on a cheese board with other pickles or add a dollop of it onto the top of a stew/curry or even your breakfast eggs. It is delicious on roasted vegetables or a steak or a chicken breast. It’s the perfect braai relish. My family even add it to a humble sandwich. 

If you like things a little hot and spicy you can add a chilli. 

 Tomato Chutney

• 1 large red onion chopped
• roughly 800g tomatoes chopped (I use any variety of tomatoes and you can mix varieties, use what you have)
• 2 medium sized apples diced, leave the skin on
• 3-4 cloves of garlic chopped
• 125g brown sugar 
• 1 tsp ground ginger 
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 2 bay leaves (I occasionally use curry leaves instead)
• 250ml vinegar ( I like to use apple cider vinegar you can substitute for any good quality vinegar but not balsamic)
• 1 tsp salt and a good grind of black pepper
• Optional: a finely chopped chilli or 2 if you like it hot

Place all your ingredients into a heavy based saucepan and combine them. Bring the mixture up to the boil. 

Initially as the tomatoes and apple cook down and release their juice, the mixture will become more liquid. Turn it down to a medium heat and with no lid on the pot allow the mixture to simmer and reduce for about an hour, checking it occasionally and giving it a stir. 

Once the hour is up, keep a close eye on the mixture, it should have reduced by half and now you want it to become a more jammy consistency. I judge when it is ready by running the spoon through the mixture and as the chutney parts, if liquid no longer pools in the groove as you move the spoon through then it is almost done. Keep an eye on it at this stage as it can burn easily but you want it sticky and jam-like not runny. 

Once you are happy with the consistency, turn the heat off and allow the chutney to cool in the pot for a short while. You don’t want to add boiling mixture to a cold glass jar as the glass can crack. 

While the chutney is cooling prepare your glass jars, ensure they are sterilised and clean and slightly warm when you decant the warm chutney into them. Once the bottles have cooled completely, store the chutney in your refrigerator.