Peach Chutney, Peaches Aren’t Just For Pie!
I’m in the midst of the seasonal peachiness that comes in August, in the form of a half bushel of ripe, juicy Calhoun County Peaches. I’ve made cobbler, crisp, crumble, smoothies, salads, and just savored my peaches out of hand.
It was time to move some of my peaches into the savory realm, and enjoy them alongside an Indian-inspired meal. I love chutneys, and find that just about any fruit can be made into a respectable one.
Chutney is one of the essential condiments of the Indian tradition, and a gift to the rest of the world. Each chutney is a balance of sweet, sour, savory, and spice, with endless variations. My inspiration for peach chutney is the tropical mango chutney that you can buy in jars, but I wanted it to be better. So, I sauteed a bit of minced red onion, then added lots of fresh ginger and some mustard seeds. Once that was well-developed, in went the peaches, some more spices, and a balance of fresh lemon juice and brown sugar.
Then it was just a matter of simmering the pot until the peaches were syrupy and soft, and the juices had reduced into a flavorful coating. Once it was cool, I stirred in some fresh mint from my garden, for a little herbal sparkle in all that intensity. I threw together a quick curry with Tofu and tomatoes from my garden, and some basmati rice with ginger and pistachios. If you want a good curry to go with the chutney, try my Dal or a Frittata with Kala Nemak, or Chickpea Curry.
If I weren’t going to eat this all up, inside of a week, I would freeze it. It would be great to pull this out in three to four months, when these beautiful peaches are just a fond memory.
Get into peach season, and make some chutney. You might just end up eating it with a spoon!
Peach-Mint Chutney
Ingredients
- 4 cups peeled and chopped peaches
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 1/2 cup minced red onion
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 cup fresh spearmint slivered
Instructions
- Prep the peaches and reserve.
- In a medium saucepan, drizzle the oil and place over medium-high heat. Add the red onions and stir, reducing the heat when they start to sizzle. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and stir for a minute, then increase the heat to medium-high, add the mustard seeds and stir for a minute longer. Add the peaches, brown sugar, lemon juice, salt, turmeric, cinnamon and cayenne and stir until the mixture starts to bubble.
- Reduce to medium-low and let the chutney simmer until thick, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl or storage container to cool completely. Stir in mint just before serving.
Thank you, I’m going to try this recipe and can it. I’ll let you know in a few weeks how it is canned. I have some lovely spearmint growing and look forward to being able to preserve it.
Stacy, Glad you are trying it! Let me know how it turns out- I hope the mint stays green.
Yum!