Easy apple chutney - sweet and tangy with a gentle kick of warm spices. Serve this Indian style chutney as a side dish or just spread on your crispy toast, paratha (Indian flatbread), or crackers. It's vegan and gluten-free.
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Many years ago my father was posted in a beautiful Indian city-Shimla. We lived there for around 3.5 years and they were some of the most beautiful days of my life. This city is the highest producer of apples in one of India's apple-growing belts.
I tasted this apple chutney for the first time there.
I remember I had started hating apples after spending a year in that city because our house was always filled with apples. At that time I used to feel that our house smelled like apples all the time. Now I miss those years and have realized how beautiful everything was and how lucky we were. And, I have also started loving apples again.
There was a food processing unit- not very far from our house in Shimla. They had a scheme where if you give them basic ingredients like fruits, spices, sugar, etc, they would make chutney, jams, sauces, pickles in bulk for you at a very nominal rate.
My parents used to get a lot of things made from that food processing unit. Not only for our own consumption but for gifting purpose too.
Though I didn't like apples during those days, I loved their apple chutney. It was sweet, tangy, and had all the warm spices which I love.
This apple chutney recipe is inspired by that recipe. I have tweaked it a little. Like raisin was not a part of their recipe. I make this chutney both with and without raisins. You can also skip them if you don't like raisins.
Another thing which I have altered is dark brown sugar. They used to add granulated white sugar but I have recently got obsessed with the caramel-like taste of dark brown sugar and use it wherever I can. You can use white granulated sugar, light brown sugar, or jaggery too.
It's a simple, and tasty recipe. If you are looking for ideas to use your extra apples, try this apple chutney. It's vegan and gluten-free too.
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Ingredients required and substitute suggestions
This Indian apple chutney recipe needs very basic ingredients.
- Apple: You can make it with any variety of apples. Generally, the tangy ones are the best for apple chutney as they balance the sweetness of sugar and raisins. However, you can use whatever is available to you.
- Ginger: Ginger gives a nice kick and warm flavor to the chutney.
- Vinegar: Use white or apple cider vinegar
- Golden raisins: optional
- Powdered spices: Cinnamon, garam masala, black pepper, red chili flakes/ red chili powder- these are the spices that go really well in this chutney. You can also use other powdered warm spices of your choice like cloves, nutmeg, etc.
- Dark brown sugar: White granulated sugar, light brown sugar, or jaggery can be used too.
- Black mustard seeds: You can also add fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, or a blend of all three seeds.
- Vegetable oil: You can also use canola oil or any neutral-flavored oil.
How to serve?
- Serve this sweet and tangy apple chutney as a side dish in any meal.
- You can make it a part of your cheese boards.
- Spread some on your crispy toast, paratha, or crackers.
- Mix some apple chutney with thick yogurt or cream cheese and a delicious dip is ready that can be served with any snack of your choice.
Recipe tips & tricks
- Try using a tangy variety of apples in this recipe.
- Adjust the amount of sugar depending upon how sweet the apples are and also how sweet you want the chutney to be.
- Different people prefer different consistency of apple chutney. You can completely mash the apples if you prefer it to be smooth. However, you can also leave apple chunks if you prefer it that way.
- To make the chutney smooth either grate the apples or chop them into very small pieces. It will fasten the process of cooking apples.
- You can make similar chutney with other fruits too like pear, mango, banana, plums, etc.
More easy Indian chutney recipes
Any major Indian meal is incomplete with a delicious chutney. If you love chutney and looking for more ideas, don't miss to check the following easy chutney recipes on my blog:
- Mint chutney
- Bengali style tomato chutney
- Green mango chutney
- Sweet mango chutney
- Momos chutney
- Peanut chutney
If you try any of my recipes then please don’t miss to rate it in the comments section below.
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Step by step photo instructions
Recipe
Apple chutney recipe
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized apple
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons golden raisins
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 3 tbsp brown sugar adjust as per taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder adjust as per taste
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
- Salt as per taste
Instructions
- Peel and cut the apples into small pieces.
- Heat oil in a pot and add mustard seeds. When the seeds start spluttering add ginger and raisins. Saute for a few seconds and then add the apples.
- Add chili flakes, cinnamon powder, pepper powder, garam masala, vinegar, and salt. Mix, and cover the pan. Cook covered for around 15 minutes or until the apples turn soft and mushy. Check 2-3 times in between and stir to make sure that the apples don't stick to the bottom.
- When the apples turn mushy, remove the lid and add brown sugar. Mix and cook for another 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Switch off the gas.
- Let it cool. Store in an airtight container, it will be fine for around 2 weeks in the fridge.
Notes
- Try using a tangy variety of apple in this recipe.
- Adjust the amount of sugar depending upon how sweet the apples are and also how sweet you want the chutney to be.
- If you want the chutney to be very smooth, either grate the apples or chop them into very small pieces. It will fasten the process of cooking apples.
Thanks, managed, very tasty!
Thank you 🙂