Curried Apple Chutney

I made chutney for the first time yesterday, and it turned out really well. I'm ready to make more as soon as I decide on the next flavor. 

Traditional chutney is defined as a spicy condiment made of fruits or vegetables. If you search for recipes today, it's easy to see chutney has come a long way from more humble beginnings. This recipe is from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. I recommend it for both the beginning and experienced. 

The recipe calls for vinegar, brown sugar, apples, raisins, onion, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt, ginger, mustard seed, allspice, and curry powder. Obviously, to print the recipe would be a copyright violation, so I'll try to avoid that. 

In preparing the chutney, you'll end up with eight cups of chopped apples to which you'll add as much as one chopped onion and a diced red pepper. I added garlic powder instead of chopped garlic, and some dried cranberries since I didn't have a full five cups of raisins. I also halved the amount of the jalapeno peppers, chopping only one. My largest measuring cup is four cups and I added one of those full of white vinegar to the pot. I added the same amount of brown sugar. 

After that it was a couple, maybe three, tablespoons of mustard seed, a couple tablespoons of ground ginger, a couple of teaspoons of ground allspice, salt, and curry powder.

The mixture is then brought to a boil, then simmered for forty-five minutes. Be prepared for the tart smell as it cooks. 

Place the mixture in prepared jars. I used twelve half-pint jars, and processed in a water bath for fifteen minutes following the approved procedures. Always follow proper canning procedures. They are in the Ball book and at the National Center for Home Food Preservation. 

If you've considered home food preservation, make the Ball book the first purchase for your library, and bookmark the website of the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Both contain wonderful learning instructions and both have a lot of good recipes and ideas for preserving your garden harvest and taking advantage of good deals and windfalls. 

And don't be afraid of chutney! It's not just for Indian food any longer.