Chutney Definition
Chutneys are small dishes intended to accompany other foods. A condiment and accompaniment rather than a main or side dish, chutneys can be raw, cooked or preserved.
The Art of Contrast
Chutneys are the Indian subcontinent's answer to salsas, pestos, pickles and preserves. Chutneys are presented as small dishes accompanying a meal and tend to be intensely seasoned. They are made of primary ingredients such as chilies or cilantro that are already powerfully flavored or with strong ingredients added to a milder base such as mango or coconut. These little dishes are used to brighten and offset larger amounts of starchy food such as rice and highlight the flavors of meats and breads.
Fresh Chutneys
The most basic type of chutney is made fresh from available seasonal produce. Common chutneys in this category include cilantro chuntney, mint chutney and chili pepper and tomato chutney. These chutneys most closely resemble fresh salsas such as pico de gallo or guacamole or the Italian favorite pesto. Quick to prepare, the ingredients of fresh chutneys are often ground or finely minced fresh herbs, vinegar and minor accompanying seasonings.
Cooked Chutneys
Cooked chutneys can be made from almost any base ingredient cooked with seasonings. Finely grated carrots and other fresh garden vegetables can be used. Cooked chutneys often use sugar, either with or without a souring agent such as vinegar or citrus juice, to provide contrast. Put together less quickly than a fresh chutney but more easily than preserved chutneys, cooked chutneys are a way to vary a diet using ingredients that might otherwise become dull.
Preserved Chutneys
Preserved chutneys venture from the simple and quick preparations above into the territory of preserves and pickles. These chutneys are intended to last, providing a treasured hoard of flavor and color that can be drawn from instantly to liven up a meal. Almost always sweet, using the antibacterial properties of sugar syrup as part of the preserving technique, they also are often sour and spicy at the same time. Fruits and vegetables that can survive a preserving process are used for preserved chutneys, along with nuts and small individual spices such as capers, tiny chilies or cloves.
Modern Chutneys
Chutneys became popular in Western culture by way of the English occupation of India. Englishmen and women who stayed in India were exposed to the fiery, vivid condiments and in many cases, came to love them. On returning to England, they would bring the recipes home with them.
These recipes were often already adapted by Indian cooks to meet English tastes. After being exported to England and created by English cooks inexperienced in Indian food or culture, the chutneys merged with the British preserves and pickles. The often mild, sweet-tart chutneys are used in modern times as sandwich spreads or served with roast meats.
Home Use
With the increasing exploration of world cuisines, both authentic Indian chutneys and Anglo-Indian chutneys are finding a place in broad Western culture. Fresh chutneys are being used in many of the ways salsa and pesto are used in fusion cuisine. Home cooks are developing new cooked and preserved chutneys, including cranberry chutney and blueberry chutney.
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