No plums yet, but in the meantime:DM‘ing my home address
Evil Mad Scientist Plum Chutney
Original recipe: https://www.evilmadscientist.com/2010/plum-chutney/
My variation:
8 cups cut up plums, pits removed, skins on
3 lemons, cut into small pieces, seeds removed [Note 1]
juice from 3 more lemons (or 6 Tbsp lemon juice)
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated (a microplane works great)
1 Tbsp cumin seeds
1 stick of cinnamon
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 to 3 Tbsp garam masala [Note 2]
Optional: 1 cup water [Note 3]
Optional: 2 cups brown sugar [Note 4] or sugar substitute
Note 1: Yes, the recipe calls for chopping up the entire lemon, skin and all. If you find the results too bitter after your first try, just use the zest and the lemon, discarding the pith. Take care to get all the seeds out -- that's the most tedious part of the prep.
Note 2: Garam masala is an Indian spice mixture, which you can usually find in any natural food store that carries bulk spices. It's the signature accent of this chutney, and I love it, so I use quite a bit. You can use less (or more!).
Note 3: The original recipe calls for 1 cup water, but it makes a fairly thin chutney. Depending on how juicy your plums are, you can use less, or even none at all. Try starting to cook without water, or with only a little, and adding more if needed for the consistency you want. For the last batch I made, I added no water at all, and it worked fine.
Note 4: The original recipe calls for 4 cups of brown sugar, too sweet for me. Depending on your tastes and your plums, you can also make it without any added sugar at all.
Step 1: Put everything except the sugar (and possibly the water) into a large pot (large enough to hold everything and still leave some headroom so that it doesn't bubble over).
Step 2: Cook on med-hi until plums soften.
Step 3: Add sugar, if using, and stir in.
Step 4: Reduce heat some and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the consistency you like. (I like it thick and chunky.) Add water if needed as you go. Take care with heat and stirring to make sure it doesn't burn on the bottom.
Step 5: Traditionally, you'd preserve the finished chutney in jars the way your grandmother taught you. However, you can also freeze it in small containers and then thaw (with a boost from the microwave) when needed. I've done both, and while freezing probably doesn't result in as much blending, the chutney is still very good, and freezing is less hassle. Also, the lemon & ginger are quite sharp immediately after brewing the chutney, but they settle down with time.
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