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Spicy Tomato Chutney

A spicy tomato chutney made with pineapple, ginger and chilli with a sweet and sour taste.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: South African
Keyword: Tamatieblatjang, Tomato, Tomato chutney
Servings: 4 jars
Author: Melby

Equipment

  • Food processor
  • 4-5 250ml sterilised jars with lids

Ingredients

  • 1 onion
  • 1,5 - 2 kg plum tomatoes, washed and trimmed
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 thumbsized piece ginger, peeled and grated
  • 30 ml olive oil
  • 1 tbsp crushed red chilli flakes use more or less depending on your taste
  • 1 tbsp black mustard seeds
  • 1 c pineapple, very finely chopped or use one tin of crushed pineapple
  • 2 c light brown sugar
  • 1 c red wine vinegar
  • 1-2 tbsp sherry vinegar optional
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Finely chop the onion in your food processor.
  • Add the olive oil to a large pot and warm over medium heat. Add the onions and cook slowly till translucent, but not browned.
  • While the onions are cooking slowly, quarter the tomatoes and blitz in the food processor until it is totally pulped. See note.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, black mustard seeds and chilli to the pot and cook till fragrant.
  • Add the tomato pulp, pineapple, sugar and red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
  • Cook on medium to low heat, stirring often, for 60 to 70 minutes until it is thick and jammy. Add the sherry vinegar about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
  • While the chutney is cooking, wash the jars and lids in warm soapy water and rinse them in boiling water from a kettle - I do this in the sink. Let the jars and lids dry upside down on a clean kitchen towel until needed.
  • Once the chutney is ready, spoon it into the jars while still hot. Fill the jars to the top and close tightly. Wipe down the jars with a damp cloth to clean off any spillage. Jars can be kept in a cool food cupboard for about 2 months. Store in the fridge once opened.

Notes

  • Even though we were taught to always remove the skins of tomatoes when cooking with them, I never do. It started from laziness, but I really think it isn't necessary. If you process the tomatoes to a uniform pulp, you do not get unsightly bits of tomato skin in your chutney. If you do not have a food processor you can just chop the tomatoes finely, but then I do recommend peeling them first.
  • You can sterilize your jars in any way you prefer. I have found my method to be good enough to keep the content of the jars for some months, but the chutney is also preserved with sugar and vinegar.
  • Be very careful when filling the jars with the hot chutney. Chutney splattered on your skin can burn badly and the jars get too hot to handle very quickly.
  • You could collect used glass chutney bottles for your Spicy Tomato Chutney, but then make sure your chutney has a runny consistency or it will be hard to get out of the bottle.