Beet Chutney

vegan
start to finish: 60 minutes
yields 1¼ cups

A bit sweet, spicy and sour, this coarse chutney involves very little labour. Wash and peel two beets before grating. You will need to brunoise the onions. The chutney basically cooks unattended with only minor stirring needed. Just remember to set a timer so you don’t forget about it while you are busy doing other things. Thankfully, with the sugar and vinegar, this chutney also keeps very well.

Ingredients:

For the tamarind juice
1 tablespoon tamarind pulp
4 tablespoons hot water

For the rest of the chutney
½ cup water
1 bayleaf
1⅓ cups grated beet (about 2 medium-sized beets)
½ cup brunoise-cut red onion
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon roughly chopped ginger
½ teaspoon roughly chopped garlic
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons water

Utensils:

• small bowl

• 3-litre medium saucepan with lid

• fine-mesh sieve

• 300-400 ml jar with tight-fitting lid
  
  
  

Method: 

1. Prepare the tamarind juice. In a small bowl, place the tamarind pulp in 4 tablespoons of hot water. Gently press the tamarind with a fork to start the release of its juices. Let it soak until needed. 

2. While the tamarind soaks, add the bayleaf and ½ cup water to a medium-sized saucepan. Cover the pan and heat on MEDIUM-LOW. 

3. Once steaming, temporarily move the pan to a cool burner and add the beet and onions. Mix well. 

4. Next, add all the remaining ingredients, specifically the salt, allspice, sugar, ginger, garlic, vinegar and ground cayenne with exactly 2 tablespoons of water. Stir. 

5. Return to the soaking tamarind. Using a fork, massage the pulp in the water for a couple of minutes to release as much juice as possible. Pour the tamarind juice through a sieve into the pan with the beet and spices. With all the pulp in the sieve, firmly press the tamarind once more to release any remaining juice. Discard the used fruit.   

6. Shift the pan back to the hot burner and cook covered on MEDIUM-LOW for about 10 minutes. 

7. Once the chutney comes to a boil, reduce the heat to LOW. Lift the lid to stir occasionally as it cooks for the next 25 minutes. 

8. Remove from the heat and stir. There should be little to no water left in the pan and the beets should be very soft. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

9. Transfer to a clean, odour-free jar. Do not seal the jar immediately. Let the chutney cool and rest at room temperature overnight so the flavours settle. Store at room temperature or in the fridge. 

Tip: Press and squeeze the tamarind pulp as much as you can, in the bowl and then again in the sieve, to release all its sour, dark juice. Remember to scrape all the thick, strained liquid from the underside of the sieve, wasting none.