Our mangoes are starting to ripen, and this year there is a bumper crop. The possums, flying foxes, and birds get them as soon as they ripen, but if we pick them just before they start to soften and wrap them in newspaper, they ripen fine indoors, out of range of the creatures.
I remember as a child in suburban Rockhampton mangoes were so prolific in their season that they laid thick on the ground making even the air alcoholic, and even the flying foxes couldn’t get through them.
I’m not big on preserves. I can see the point when you live in a climate where several months of the year the ground is covered in snow. But otherwise it just seems like a huge amount of work to produce something that is less healthy and less delicious than the fresh in-season stuff in the garden. Many years ago I made a rule that I was not going to preserve anything unless:
1. The preserve was tastier than the original.
2. The amount of gas, electricity, or firewood it cost was proportionate to how much tastier.
3. The amount of work it took was similarly proportionate.
This recipe is one that makes it through the test!
Hot Mango and Tomato Chutney
Place in a heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil
4 medium under-ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded and diced
6 under-ripe tomatoes, sliced
teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chopped onions
1 cup currants
4 red chillies, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh coriander or culantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 cups malt vinegar
2 cups brown sugar
salt to taste
Simmer gently for 10 minutes and adjust the salt to taste. Then simmer very gently, stirring, until mangoes are soft and mixture is jam-like.
Bottle in sterilized jars.
Yes, the Hot Mango and Tomato Chutney is indeed delicious and very easy to make. I made it the other night and friends, who dropped round last night and stayed for a meal, were going for seconds putting great dollops of the chutney on their plates.
I had most of the ingredients at hand. The chillies in the garden are very hot and I put in only one, but next time I’ll add more. I had no currants and used sultanas. As I’m being somewhat fanaticle about added sugar and salt at present, I used xylitol instead of the sugar and a small amount of lite salt. The result is delicious.
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Hi Linda,thanks for the mango chutney and the jar of tomato’s,the chutney is eaten already,Gee didn’t take long,so today I made a batch of Mango chutney according to your recipe and it tastes yum,will be hard to wait,Cant make pickles in this weather cause according to your recipe you should leave it a day in the sun and its wet over this side,so will have to wait……
thanks again for making us lots of cuppas during work and all the lovely nibblies in between and hope your enjoying the power coming out of your newly installed system….cheers Lucas(Sunspark Electrics)
I am loving the power Lucas! Even today the batteries are full. I’m glad you like the chutney.
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So Helen, instead of putting natural foods in your body you put man made chemicals?
I made this the natural way it was delicious
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