Tomato Chutney

Introduction

This tomato chutney is a show stopper, do not be fooled into thinking it is a mere condiment. It is the most enticing chutney which you will want to have with all your starters. It is a tangy, sweet and of course spicy. This tomato chutney has very much become part of Pakistani and South Asian cuisine. It is a great condiment to add to your dinner party, most Pakistani families will not have come across it, and of course will try it out of curiosity. Once they start eating it, I assure you, they will not stop. I have not found anyone who has not loved this chutney.

Growing up, my sister and I always called this red chutney, purely because it was red in colour. I remember being blown away the first time I had it as a child. We had always grown up having some form of “green chutney”, and now we had a red one to try. Like most children, I loved tomato ketchup and ate it with everything. Well this tomato chutney was like ketchup but Pakistani style; a sweet and spicy tomato ketchup. Irresistible!

I love eating this chutney with spring rolls, kebabs, keema pastries, pakoras and tuna patties. The list really is endless! To be honest, I could just eat spoonful’s of the chutney by itself.

History of Tomato Chutney

Tomatoes obviously did not originally grow in India or Pakistan, they were brought to India by British colonisation. By the 18th century, tomatoes then started to be cultivated in India and therefore made their way into Indian and Pakistani cuisine.

Tomato chutneys are enjoyed more in India, my family’s influence from living in East Africa (before Britain) exposed them to much more Indian cuisine than perhaps direct migrants from Pakistan to Britain. So this chutney really is a tribute to my family’s migration history.

My take on Tomato chutney

My tomato chutney provides a modern twist to traditional tomato chutneys and incorporates carrots and onions for extra texture and flavour. I also like to keep a bit of the texture to the carrots and onions, it just adds more depth to the enjoyment of the chutney. However, if you prefer your chutney smoother and thinner in consistency , you can blitz the onions and carrots to your preference texture and add additional water to your preferred consistency.

Any of those who read my recipes on this website know that if I can find a shortcut, which does not compromise taste, I will find it and use it! Here I have used tomato ketchup (rather than fresh tomatoes), just because is saves so much time and it also gives the chutney the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. I do prefer to use Heinz ketchup, but you could use any other brand you prefer.

I tend to make the chutney on the milder side for the children. Therefore, I add one green chilli and a quarter teaspoon of red chilli powder. However if you want it spicier, add 2 green chillies, or up the red chilli powder to half a teaspoon. Taste and see if you are happy with the spice, add more to your taste.

Tips of making this chutney

The chutney keeps really well in the fridge in an air tight container, at least for a week.

When putting the fresh mint, coriander and green chilli into the mini food processor, it does have a tendency to stick to the sides of the processor and not blend properly. This is why I add the water at this point to help everything blitz properly in the food processor. It is also worth checking mid blitz to see if anything is stuck to the sides of the food processor, scraping the edges and re-blitzing to ensure you get a paste like consistency.

See my video on Youtube, Instagram or TikTok to see how to make this dish!

INGREDIENTS  

• 250 grams of Tomato Ketchup (I like to use Heinz)
• 1 handful fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped(no stalks)
• 1 handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 1 green chilli (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
• 40 grams /1/2 of a medium carrot, peeled
• 30-40 grams on onion (I used red onion in my images below)
• 1 tbsp vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Put the onion and carrot in a food processor and blitz, I like mine to have a bit of texture so I do not over blitz to a paste texture. Then remove and put into mixing bowl. (If you do not have a food processor, grate the carrot and finely cut the onion).

• Then add the coriander, mint, green chillies and 1-2 tablespoons of water to the food processor and blitz to a fine paste. Add the paste to the mixing bowl.

• Then add the ketchup, salt, red chilli powder and vinegar to the mixing bowl and mix everything thoroughly together. If you want a runnier texture chutney, add more water to your preference.

• Store in an air tight container until you are ready to serve.