What Is Chutney?

To properly slow cook chutney,

one must sit down for long periods. 

We often ask ourselves, and many people often ask us, "What exactly is chutney?"

Our short answer: Chutney is a savory jam. It is a fruit jam that includes savory ingredients like vinegar, mustard seed and onion.

 To properly slow cook chutney, one must sit down for long periods.

 The Indian answer: A freshly prepared relish that is served on curry and may include ingredients like tamarind, mint, cilantro, coconut and mango.

 The history of chutney begins with the apocryphal Major Grey! Whether he ever existed or was simply a marketing idea spurned by the popular Earl Grey tea is a question for the ages.

 The basic story is that Major Grey was an Englishman in India who took the native chutney and developed a sweet, cooked, mango chutney that the world now calls Major Grey's chutney or Major Grey chutney.

 In our version of this classic condiment, we add lots of fresh ginger and the zip of lime juice. We enjoy it with cheddar or curry.

 What's that you say? Is chutney a relish? What is a relish? - Enough!!

 But if Ken Jennings were here, he'd say that chutney is a pickled fruit condiment whereas relish is a pickled vegetable condiment.

 But aren't tomatoes technically fruits? To which Ken would say, "Yes, tomatoes are dicots and...