Ginger & chilli chutney Adrak and mirchi chutney

Ingredients

2 tablespoons rapeseed oil

100g (3½oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

10 dried red chillies

75–90ml (5–6 tablespoons) water

80g (2¾oz) jaggery, grated

2 tablespoons tamarind paste

¼ teaspoon salt

FOR THE TADKA

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

2 teaspoons white sesame seeds

Directions

Heat the rapeseed oil in a pan, add the ginger and cook over a medium to low heat for 5 minutes until it starts to change colour. Then add the chillies and cook for a minute.

Transfer the ginger and chilli mixture to a blender (preferably) or food processor and blitz, adding enough of the measured water to form a paste.

Return to the pan and add the jaggery, tamarind and salt. Cook over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes until the jaggery has melted and the mixture starts to bubble up. Pour into a serving bowl.

Heat the oil for the tadka in a small pan. Add the sesame seeds and cook over a low heat for a minute or until they start to change colour, then immediately pour over the chutney. You can serve this warm, but it is much better if left to cool.

The chutney will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can add a few more drops of water if you prefer the consistency to be a little runnier.

Notes

If you are a fan of hot and spicy chutneys like me, then you have come to the right recipe. There is heat from the chillies here but also a good hit of flavour, more than you would expect from the list of ingredients. I know a good chutney and this is one of the best, I promise!