Thermomix Tomato Chutney - ThermoFun | Thermomix Recipes & Tips (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between tomato sauce and chutney? ›

The texture of this condiment is what primarily distinguishes it from a sauce. Because it is made from slow-cooking fruits and vegetables, chutney often has a chunky yet spreadable consistency and is created similarly to jam. Sauce, on the other hand, is typically much thinner.

If the chutney seems too runny, cook it for another 5-10 minutes and test again. You may also like to give the chutney the odd stir as you cook it, to prevent the mixture at the edges of the pan from catching.

Well, the simplest thing to do is let it boil in high heat stirring it continuously. The excess water will evaporate making the chutney thicker, switch off the heat immediately to get the desired thickness and remove it in a cold bowl.

The sugar and vinegar are essential, too, for that quintessential sharp-sweet flavour and to preserve the chutney. If the jars have been sterilised correctly (watch our video for a failsafe method), the chutney will keep in a cool dark space for more than a year.

That bitterness could be acid from the tomatoes and one way people typically fix that is by adding a small amount of sugar. Completely unnecessary. That acidity is usually caused by the use of crushed canned tomatoes. As opposed to whole, then hand-crushed.

Our answer. When you make chutney its consistency is determined by the evaporation of liquid as the chutney cooks. So if possible you should use a wide pan as this has a larger surface area which means that liquid will evaporate more quickly and should help to prevent the fruit in the chutney from becoming too soft.

Vinegar used in making chutney must be good quality and have at least 5% acetic acid content. Any good brand white, malt, wine or cider vinegar should possess the correct qualities. Brown sugar is used for darker coloured chutney but where a lighter colour is required granulated sugar is recommended.

3. Allow for a long cooking time. It is essential that chutneys are allowed a long and slow cooking period in a pan that is not covered with a lid.

Add some sugar. It makes chutney tastier.

In small cup or bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cold water. Stir into chutney until mixture begins to thicken and becomes clear.

What is a thickening agent for chutney? ›

The best way to thicken up a chutney is to add flour. Flour can be added with the spices in-ground or mixed through. If adding ground spices, they will mix better and settle more evenly if being blended into hot oil before combining with other ingredients.

Sourness comes from acidic ingredients (including tomatoes, wine and vinegar). If your dish tastes too sour try to add sweetness—think sugar, honey (it's healthy!), cream or even caramelized onions. You can also dilute the dish (same as you would with a dish with too much salt).

The best way to test if your chutney has cooked down enough is to put a little spoonful on a plate in the fridge and let it chill for 5 minutes or so. If the liquid runs across the plate, it needs more cooking. If the liquid is quite thick and set, the chutney is done.

It can turn bitter if you grind it too much of for too long in the electric grinder. The oils in the leaves start to turn rancid.

Fill the hot dry jars right to the top – preserves shrink slightly on cooling and a full jar means less trapped condensation. Seal the jars while still hot. This rule applies to all jams, jellies, pickles and chutneys.

Sauce is a generic term, and includes many different possibilities. Ketchup is a tomato-and-vinegar based thick, pureed sauce. Chutneys are usually very thick sauces that contain pieces of fruit and/or vegetables instead of all being pureed together.

Chutney is a condiment or spread made from chopped fruit cooked with vinegar, spices and sometimes sugar, that can be served fresh or preserved. It's often associated with Indian cuisine.

Chutney vs Relish

Both condiments are made with chopped vegetables, vinegar, and added spices. Typically, chutney has a softer consistency and contains a variety of fruit pieces. Relish usually contains one type of vegetable and no fruit.

Tomato chutney is thicker and chunkier, whereas tomato relish is usually thinner. The taste of a tomato relish is more vinegary, too. Chutney is usually softer in texture and is cooked longer, but the veggies in a relish still have some crispy crunch to them.