Chutney or Relish?
Chutney comes from the Hindu word ‘Chatni’ which means savouring or relishing an appetizing taste. Chutneys originated from Eastern India in the 15th century and quickly gained popularity throughout Europe, absorbing influences of cuisines from the Mediterranean to the Arabic and Northern European regions. India is famous for its chutneys, with more than 3000 varieties, each family with their own customized version.
What is Chutney?
A chutney is a fresh or cooked relish from the cuisine of India. It is usually eaten in small amounts to add flavor and to accent a meal. A fresh chutney in India is customarily ground fresh on grinding stone and is made fresh daily. It is made of peanuts, cashews, fresh herbs, fresh chilies, ginger, garlic and fresh green mangoes or lime juice with spices. Fresh chutneys are very refreshing. Cooked chutneys are made seasonally using fruits like tomatoes, mangoes, pineapples, tamarind, apples, pears that are combined with fresh seasonings like ginger, hot chilies and lemon juice and cooked with spices to create heavenly concoction of tastes.
How is Chutney used?
Chutney is a perfect accompaniment to East Indian food; They are incredibly versatile. It goes with everything - fish, roast beef sandwiches, grilled chicken and meats, pappadums and even tortilla chips. They add an extra dimension to meals and will satisfy the taste buds and make meals more tasty. However, it can also be used as a side dish, sandwich spread, dip, an accompaniment to cheese and crackers, or as an ingredient to enhance the flavour of everyday dishes like chicken salad or casseroles.
The difference between chutney and relish
Chutney and relish are often used interchangably as condiment terms. The confusion is understandable. Chutneys can be savory, and relishes can be sweet. In general, chutneys have a chunky spreadable consistency much like a preserve, whereas relishes are hardly cooked, use less sugar if any, and are more crunchy to the bite.
WORLDFOODS Gourmet Chutney range
A special range of Indian chutneys with our favourite combination of flavours. Using fresh ingredients such as pineapple, mint, tomatoes, coriander, chillies, garlic, onions and ginger, cooking them together with spices like cumin, cardamom and coriander to create a heavenly concoction of tastes, in a relish like condiment form.
WORLDFOODS Gourmet Chutney range tastes great eaten traditionally with curries to add flavour or to accent a meal. Also tastes great with cold meats, sandwiches, salads, pate, cheese and crackers, as a dip with tortilla chips or as a marinade or glaze for meats.
