Tomato and Chilli Chutney

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Tomato and Chilli Chutney – a blend of ripe tomatoes and fiery chilli bursting with Indian spices.

Delicious with everything from crackers to grilled meats and perfect with samosas or as a dip for nachos.

Got a glut of tomatoes ? My easy Tomato and Chilli Chutney is the perfect recipe to preserve those extra tomatoes. Meaning you can enjoy their vibrant taste long after summer has ended.

Spiced with nigella, mustard and fennel seeds plus the added smokiness from Kashmiri chilli powder. Sweet tomatoes and tangy onions blend with the heat of fresh chillies and ginger for an exceptional taste sensation. An ideal combination of flavours to make this the best Tomato and Chilli Chutney.

Some years ago we used to make plenty of chilli sauce and green tomato chutney for the local Christmas fayre. But that was when my previous Kitchen Shed garden regularly produced masses of tomatoes and chillies.

This year, for the first time in a while, I’ve been lucky enough to have plenty of tomatoes. So I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen with Indian flavours to add a new chutney to our collection.

Also, we have family staying with us at the moment and they are always eager to be taste testers. Suffice to say, the Tomato and Chilli Chutney was so well received I needed more for them to take home. I made a couple of extra batches and boxed up the jars alongside my courgette chutney and spicy apple chutney.

If you haven’t made a chutney before you’ll be pleased to hear it’s a lot easier than jam making. Mainly because there’s no checking for setting point.

Simply chop up your ingredients, put them in your pan with spices, vinegar and sugar and cook. Simmer until your chutney is glossy and thick and you’ll have a pan of vibrant Tomato and Chilli Chutney.

What equipment do I need ?

• Preserving pan – nice and wide so liquid can evaporate and your chutney becomes glossy and thick. If you make a lot of chutneys and jams it’s worth investing in a good solid preserving pan. I use an 8.5 litre Penguin Home Professional pan.
• A ladle.
• A jam funnel. I prefer to use a stainless steel funnel because vinegar reacts with metals such as aluminium.
• At least 6 jam jars with screw top lids. Make sure to use vinegar proof lids – generally plastic coated on the underside to prevent any acid reaction with metal.
• Adhesive labels.

How to Sterilise Jars

Sterilise jars shortly before they are to be used. This minimises the time in which the jars might pick up new bacteria and ruin your chutney. Make sure your jars are dry when you come to fill them.

• I like to sterilise jars in the microwave. Clean your jars as normal and rinse. Whilst the jars are wet, pop them in the microwave for two minutes on full power. Remember the jars will be very hot, so remove with care.
  
• Pour boiling water into a bowl or jug and add the lids and leave for 5 minutes. Drain and leave to dry completely before using.
• Alternatively, wash jars and the lids in the dishwasher on a hot cycle.
• Always sterilise more jars than you think you will need.

What ingredients do I need ?

Amounts are detailed in the recipe card.

• Nigella seeds – add a slight bitter taste to balance the Indian spices.
• Yellow mustard seeds – gives a warm spice tone as well as a slight sweetness.
• Fennel seeds – add an aniseed flavour.
• Tomatoes – choose firm fresh red tomatoes.
• Onions – I used red onions.
• Garlic – adds a distinctive flavour.
• Red chillies – give heat and flavour. Use less chillies if you prefer a milder chutney.
• Ginger – fresh ginger root adds a gentle heat.
• Salt – adds flavour and helps to preserve your chutney.
• Kashmiri chilli powder – adds a smokiness and a medium heat as well as it’s beautiful red colour. Alternatively, substitute with paprika.
• Vinegar – I used white wine vinegar because it helps keep the colour. Make sure it is a good quality vinegar with an acetic acid content of at least 5%.
• Sugar – I’ve used caster sugar. This dissolves more quickly but you can use granulated if you wish. White sugar makes a sweeter chutney and helps maintain the chutney’s vibrant colour.

How to make Tomato and Chilli Chutney

Making a chutney couldn’t be more straightforward – just follow these easy steps for your best homemade tomato and chilli chutney. Full details are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Toast nigella, mustard and fennel seeds and then set them aside.

• Dip tomatoes into boiling water and remove skins.
• Cut tomatoes into rough dice (removing any hard stalks) and dice onions.

• Add to pan along with garlic, ginger and chopped fresh chillies.
• Bring to the boil and simmer until you have a thick pulp.

• Add salt, Kashmiri chilli powder and toasted spices along with half the vinegar before simmering.

• Add the remaining vinegar and sugar and stir.

• Simmer until thick and glossy.

• Check your chutney is ready by drawing a silicone spatula or wooden spoon through the chutney mixture. If the chutney parts and the base of the preserving pan remains visible for a few seconds, it’s done.

• Ladle into sterilised jars and seal the jars with lids.

Do you need to water bath chutney ?

Here in the UK, the water bath method is not generally used for chutneys. Jars and lids are sterilised before filling with hot chutney and tightened lids on filled jars form a vacuum seal as contents cool. However, if you prefer to use a boiling water canner, process Tomato and Chilli Chutney for 15 minutes.

How to serve Tomato and Chilli Chutney

Tomato and Chilli Chutney is perfect on a cheese or ham sandwich. Serve with a traditional Ploughman’s lunch or cheese and crackers. Add a spoon or two to a hot dog, burger or grilled meats. It’s so versatile you can use it as a dip for nachos or samosas.

But don’t limit your chutney to an accompaniment for your favourite snacks and sandwiches, use it in your cooking too:

• Add a tablespoon or two to your favourite stew, casserole or tagine.
• Puree a couple of tablespoons, add a little water and use as a glaze for your Christmas ham or roast.
• Spread some on toast, layer with cheese and grill.
• Mix a teaspoon of tomato and chilli chutney with a couple of tablespoons of yogurt or mayonnaise for a creamy dip with a kick.

How long before I can eat my Chutney ?

Tomato and Chilli Chutney improves as it matures. Leaving it in sealed jars for at least two weeks before sampling is definitely preferred. Leave for a couple of months if you can.
Despite knowing I should leave chutney to mature, I admit I have opened a jar the day after cooking. It was delicious and surprisingly there was no overpowering taste of vinegar.

More Homemade Chutney Recipes for you to try

• Caramelised Onion chutney
• Pumpkin and Cranberry Chutney
• Courgette Chutney
• Christmas Cranberry Chutney
• Basic Chutney

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