Cranberries really are given a bad rap. Memories of the canned version at Thanksgiving, reminiscent of jello are partially to blame, and sadly, this side dish has been discarded from many a modern Thanksgiving holiday.
We say give chutney a chance! What is chutney, exactly? Originating in India, chutney is typically defined as a sweet and spicy condiment made of fruits or vegetables, vinegar, sugar and spices. Chutney can be made with mango, apricots, tomatoes or coconut, and spiced with spices such as nutmeg, coriander, or mint, just to name a few of the thousands of ingredient variations. Typically made fresh in India, the type of chutney that is made depends on the ingredients in the local harvest, and they were often not cooked, but infused in the hot Indian sun for several days until the desired flavor and texture were reached. This method is known to still prevail in today’s Indian kitchens that do not have stoves.
Recently we’ve discovered a delightful Indian Chef by the name of Sanjay Thumma, who is quite the celebrity in India. Thousands of his recipes and videos can be found on his site here, and we especially love his version of cranberry chutney in this video.
Cranberry Chutney
INGREDIENTS:
1 pint of fresh cranberries
3 to 4 chopped green chillies
2″ piece of ginger sliced
2 cloves of garlic chopped (optional)
3 to 4 sprigs of green coriander finely chopped
1-2 tbsp of jaggery or sugar (this is an unrefined cane sugar common in India, you may substitute with brown sugar.)
1 tsp of cumin seeds
Salt to taste
1 tbsp of oil
DIRECTIONS:- Heat some oil in the pan and add cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the sliced ginger
and chopped garlic. Then add the cranberries and green chillies.
Let it cook on medium heat until they are completely cooked and cranberries are softer. Now add the chopped coriander.
Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook. Add some water in between as needed.
Add the salt to taste and the jaggery (or brown sugar) to taste.
When completely cooked put the mixture in the blender and blend it to fine paste.
Also be sure to see our other posted cranberry chutney recipe from Chef Chef Suvir Saran of Dévi restaurant in NYC.
Also spotted in the blogosphere: a delicious cranberry apple chutney recipe here, from Think Inside The Icebox. The famous food blogger Orangette has a cranberry, ginger, and dried cherries version found here, which received rave comment reviews. Whichever recipe you choose, cranberry chutney will be a shining star on your table served as a side dish, over turkey slices, or over warm bread.