Apple Chutney Recipe

Apple Chutney is a delicious relish made with apples, spices, apple vinegar & a sweetener. Chutney is an Indian condiment usually made with veggies, coconut, nuts, fruits, spices & herbs. Every region in India has a different way of making chutney & pickles. There are numerous kinds of chutneys made across India. Most of these are spicy, hot, tangy & sometimes sweet tasting like this Sweet Tamarind Chutney , Sweet tomato chutney and mango chutney.

About Apple Chutney

Apple Chutney is a condiment made by simmering fresh apples with sugar, apple cider vinegar and spices. It is similar to the tamarind chutney & has exceptionally great flavors. It is delicious & tastes sweet, tangy & slightly hot with bursting flavors of spices.

Apple chutney goes well with breads, Parathas, Roti, Chapati, Snacks, Appetizers & even with grilled meat dishes.

Fruit chutney is Indian inspired & originated during the British rule / British Raj, as a way to preserve the surplus produce. Overtime fruit chutney became very popular & made way to the store shelves.

It is made with various fruits like apples, mangoes, cranberries, peaches & pretty much with every other fruit in season.

This apple chutney can be served instantly or can be preserved for several months. Just like a pickle, this chutney develops intense flavors as it ages. Here are some details on the ingredients used.

Spices used

This recipe uses spices like star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds and cumin for the flavor. This combination of spices is what makes this chutney extremely flavorful.

I have used the first 3 in the whole form and not ground as they help the chutney to develop flavors overtime. If using them in the ground form, be cautious as the ground spices are stronger in flavor.

Star anise is a spice mostly used in biryani, stews, soups & braising broths. It has a sweet, peppery & licorice-like flavors. I have used 2 individual segments/ petals of a flower. A close substitute to this is aniseed or five spice powder.

Fennel seeds & cumin are roasted on a low flame and then ground. You may use them whole if you are going to preserve the chutney for longer. But I have found both these spices are best when used ground .

Other ingredients

Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar gives the best results here especially if you intend to serve it immediately. You can substitute it with malt vinegar but the apple chutney will have a stronger vinegary flavor which vanishes overtime if preserved for a few months.

Sweetener: I have used a mix of brown and white sugar. You can substitute one for the other. There will be a change in the color with the substitutes. You can substitute the sugar with dates or /and raisins.

Since I always have a bottle of Dates tamarind chutney in stock, I make the apple chutney without dates.

More Indian Chutney Recipes,
Mango Chutney
Cilantro Chutney
Tomato Chutney
Coconut Chutney
Mint Chutney

How to make Apple Chutney (Stepwise photos)

1. Pour 1 tablespoon ghee or oil to a wide pan or pot. When the oil turns hot, add 2 inches piece of cinnamon (1 gram), 4 cloves and 2 segments of star anise. When they sizzle, add 1½ tablespoon ginger. Fry it for about a minute. Then add ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or flakes.

2. Give a quick stir.

3. Quickly add 1 lb. (450to 500 grams) chopped apples (3 medium) and pour the ½ cup apple cider vinegar.

4. Add 3 tablespoons brown and 3 tablespoons white sugar along with 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon fennel powder & ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Mix all of them together.

5. Cover and let it simmer until the apples turn tender. Covering the pot at this stage helps to retain the flavors of spices.

6. Sugar dissolves and the entire mixture will have a lot of moisture. Open the lid when the apples are tender and you begin to smell the mixture good. Continue to cover in the open pot stirring until all of the excess moisture evaporates and the apple chutney turns thick.

7. At this stage, mash a small portion of the chutney with a spatula to give a texture to the chutney. Next turn off the stove and cool this completely.

Lastly store apple chutney in a clear and dry glass jar. It keeps good for several months if you keep it in a dry shelf, away from moisture.

How to Store Apple Chutney

This chutney keeps good for several months when stored in a clean, dry & air tight glass jar. Place the bottle in a dry cabinet. Avoid keeping it in the kitchen if it is very humid. If making in large quantity then store them in smaller jars. Use moist free spoons to serve it.

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