Indian Mango Chutney recipe

An epicurean adventure to: India

Our easy Indian Mango Chutney recipe is a delicious blend of sweet and spicy flavour perfection!

Made with fresh mangoes and aromatic spices, it's perfect for pairing with curries and appetisers and a must-try for Indian food enthusiasts.

You might recognise this mango chutney from the sauce trays at your favourite British Indian restaurants, alongside its counterparts, poppadoms, Indian onion relish and the oh-so-refreshing Indian mint sauce (mint raita).

Chutneys come in countless varieties, but they usually combine fruit, vinegar, spices and sugar. Mango chutney, in particular, is by far the most popular chutney, not just in India but globally.

The word "chutney" traces back to "caṭnī," a Sanskrit word meaning "to lick." A definite nod to its irresistible taste, don't you think?

Making your own mango chutney is not only really satisfying but also surprisingly simple. In just an hour, you can have the best mango chutney, bursting with sweet, spicy and fruity flavours. It beats shop-bought chutney any day of the week!

Plus, it's a versatile condiment that you can jar and keep for up to a year, so it's always there to liven up your meals whenever you fancy.

We will take you through making this spicy mango chutney step-by-step, from the simple process of sterilising your jars to making the perfect chutney. There is nothing scary about it, promise!

Fast facts - India

Location	India is located in South Asia and shares its borders with several countries including Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Capital	New Delhi.
Language	India is a diverse country with numerous languages spoken across its regions. Hindi and English are the official languages of the Indian government, but there are also 21 officially recognized regional languages, including Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati and many more.
Population	Circa 1.3 billion people.
Trivia	In the southern region of India, nestled in the state of Kerala, a truly remarkable sanctuary exists - the Punnathoor Cotta Elephant Yard Rejuvenation Centre. This unique facility is exclusively dedicated to the well-being of elephants. Here, these majestic creatures are pampered with the utmost care, receiving a range of treatments that could easily rival any human spa experience.

Key ingredient notes and substitutions

**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.

Mangoes

For the best results, opt for ripe mangoes that still have a slight firmness when touched. Overripe mangoes can result in a mushy chutney, which may be what you want, but for a chunkier mango chutney, choose slightly firmer mangoes. Just ensure they're not completely green and rock hard.

How to tell when a mango is ripe.

Regarding the quantity of mango needed for this recipe, you'll need 1kg of mango flesh, which is roughly 1.5kg of unpeeled mangoes. We achieved this weight from three large mangoes, but this can vary depending on your location and the type of mangoes you have available to you.

Garlic and ginger

Using fresh garlic cloves and fresh ginger root is essential for achieving the most vibrant flavours in your mango chutney. While mincing and grating them may require a bit more effort, the exceptional taste is well worth it!

In a hurry or short on fresh ingredients? You can opt for pre-minced garlic and ginger from tubes or jars as an alternative.

The spices

A beautiful mix of Indian spices! Half of the spices will be toasted and ground down in a mortar and pestle and the other half are already powdered. All the spices used are readily available in most supermarkets.

The half-teaspoon chilli powder added to the recipe provides a low to medium heat level. Feel free to add a touch more if you want it spicier. You can also replace the chilli powder with red pepper flakes.

Nigella seeds

You might wonder what the black seeds are in our mango chutney in the featured photo. Those are Nigella seeds.

Nigella seeds are derived from the seeds of the flowering plant Nigella sativa, commonly found in regions like Turkey, Syria, and parts of Iraq.

While Nigella seeds are sometimes called by other names like black cumin, black onion seed, or black sesame seed, it's important to note that they are not related to any of these. Nigella belongs to the Ranunculaceae family, which includes various flowers like buttercups and delphiniums. This botanical distinction can help clear up any confusion.

When you mix nigella seeds into mango chutney, they bring a gentle but noticeable burst of flavour. It's like a subtle blend of pepper and nuts, adding a tasty twist that pairs beautifully with the sweet mangoes and spicy spices.

White wine vinegar

White wine vinegar has a milder and less overpowering flavour compared to some other vinegar like apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar. This mildness allows the fruity and spicy flavours of the mango chutney to shine without being dominated by the vinegar.

White wine vinegar is also a clear and colourless choice that keeps mango chutney looking fresh and appetizing. Darker vinegar will make the chutney look darker.

Sugar

Chutney, like jam, uses a fair amount of sugar. If you'd like something less sweet, you can add slightly less sugar.

Just bear in mind, the role sugar plays in chutney is rather important. Firstly, you need enough to balance the sharpness of the vinegar.

Secondly, sugar contributes to the texture of the chutney, giving it a thicker and smoother consistency. It helps create the desirable jam-like or relish-like texture.

So if you are adding a little less, don't go much lower than 330g.

We use white sugar to keep the brightness of the yellow mango. You can use brown sugar but it will affect the colour of the chutney.

How to sterilise jars in the oven

If you've never cooked jam or chutney before, the idea of having to sterilise jars can sound intimidating, right? It's actually really, really simple.

Firstly, make sure you use jars that can seal tightly. They should have screwtops, or if they have hinged lids, they should be sealed.

If you're uncertain about the jars you have, consider buying a few designed for this purpose. It's a worthwhile kitchen investment and once you've made your own chutney once, you'll likely want to do it again.

"Ball" is a well-known and affordable brand for jam or canning jars.

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/356F/gas mark 4.

2. Start by washing the jars and drying them thoroughly.

3. Place the clean, dry jars, without their lids, on a baking sheet. Leave enough space between each jar.

4. Once the oven is ready, place them in the hot oven for 10 minutes. After they've had their 10 minutes, remove them to cool down.

5. For the lids and seals, place them in a saucepan with enough water to cover them. Boil them for the same amount of time, which is 10 minutes.

6. After boiling, drain the lids and let them dry on a clean kitchen towel. That's it! You're done and ready to add your delicious homemade chutney to your freshly sterilised jars!

How to make mango chutney - Step-by-step

1. Peel, stone and dice the mangoes and weigh out 1kg of mango flesh. Set aside.

2. Mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Set aside.

3. Shell the cardamom pods and remove the seeds.
   
   Top tip: Instead of using your nails to try and pry open the cardamom seeds, it's much easier to crush the pods in a mortar and pestle to crack the husks. Then, simply break them open and remove the seeds.

4. Add the cardamom seeds, cumin seeds and coriander seeds to a small saucepan. Toast them over medium-high heat until they smell fragrant and you can see a few seeds 'jumping' in the pan, that's when you know they're ready.

5. Add the toasted whole spices to a mortar and pestle.

6. Grind the seeds down into a powder.

7. To a large saucepan, add the white vinegar and sugar. Simmer the mixture over low heat until all the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally.

8. Add the toasted spices, garlic, ginger, nigella seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt to the sugar mixture. Give it a quick stir.

9. Add the diced mango and stir it through the spiced liquid.

10. With the heat set to low, simmer the chutney uncovered for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until it thickens and takes on a syrupy appearance. Stir the mixture every 5 minutes to prevent it from sticking.

11. At this stage, you can decide whether to mash the mango into finer pieces with a potato masher or leave them in larger chunks.

12. Fish out the cinnamon stick and if possible, the cloves.

13. Spoon the hot chutney into the sterilised jars and immediately seal them tightly (yes, when the chutney is still hot). Leave them to cool down completely before storing them away.

Optional additions

• Mustard seeds

• Lemon juice

• Star anise

• Red chillies

• Black pepper

• Fenugreek seeds

• Fennel seeds

Serving suggestions

With Indian snacks and appetisers - Poppadoms, samosas, onion bhaji, pakoras, kachori, chaat (like Sev Puri, Bhel puri) and kebabs.

Makes a delicious spread on bread - Naan bread, roti, chapati, with kathi rolls.

On sandwiches - Use as a delicious relish in sandwiches or burgers.

Cheese platters - Pair mango chutney with cheese for a beautiful combination of sweet and savoury flavours.

With vegetables - As a vegetarian condiment with roasted vegetables.

As an accompaniment to main dishes - Curries, rice dishes, biryanis, tandoori platters, grilled meats.

Snacks - Enjoy it as a dip for chips or crisps. It's delicious on crackers with a dollop of cream cheese.

Can you make a small batch?

This recipe delivers quite a large batch of mango chutney, about four standard jam jars' worth. You can easily half the recipe for a small batch if you need less chutney.

Storage

Chutney, like most unopened preserves, typically has a shelf life of at least a year when stored in a cool, dark place. In some cases, chutneys may remain good for up to two years. Once opened, if tightly covered and stored in the fridge, chutney should stay fresh for at least a month.

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