Plum Chutney has been something I've been meaning to make for a very long time but just never got down to it. My Mother-in-law apparently makes an amazing Plum Chutney, but since she lives in Pakistan getting the recipe off her was a bit of a challenge. I wasted a few weeks like that (and never got around to getting the recipe from her in the end). Then, I decided I was going hunt around for the best deal I could find for dried plums because I'm cheap frugal like that. Eventually when I found a pack with a price I was happy with, I decided I wanted to serve the plum chutney with Chapli Kebab, a popular Afghan/Pakistani kebab me and my husband love. But for some reason or another, I wasn't able to get the minced meat.
You could say this plum chutney was a long time comin'.
Eventually, I made the plum chutney on a random day without the minced meat or any particular meal to serve it with. I just made it and put it in the fridge (Plum chutney stays great in the fridge for 2-3 weeks!) till it could be served.
And would you believe, I've ended up serving it with almost EVERY meal since then?! It is absolutely delicious and goes perfect with EVERYTHING! I kid you not!
And I'll have you know, once you make this stuff at home, there is no way you will EVER go back to the jarred kind. As they say in Urdu, 'Zameen asmaan ka faraq hai' (The difference is of heaven and earth)
Plum chutney is such a lip-smackingly good change from the standard ketchup and BBQ sauce. The tangy and sweet-sour-spicy flavours all in one are an absolute winner. And what I love about this chutney is that adjusting the ratio of sweet/sour/spicy is so simple and purely down to preference - there isn't a solid set-in-stone recipe for this. Just take it as it goes! For more sweetness, add sugar. For more spice, add more red chilli powder or pepper, for more sour, add vinegar. It's really as simple as that!
The uses for plum chutney are unlimited. Use as a dip for pakoras, samosas, kebabs and spring rolls, use alongside cheese sandwiches and crackers, as a side to some slow cooker braised meat - essentially, you can use it for anything you would otherwise use ketchup or BBQ sauce for! The sweet zing also makes it pretty awesome for baking in tarts and pastries. Seriously, how versatile is this chutney?!
So, here's to a super duper easy and absolutely delicious chutney you NEED to make ASAP!
Enjoy, with love x
📋 Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g dried plums
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 1 finger-sized chunk cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon pepper
- salt to taste
- 0.75 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 0.5 teaspoon cumin powder
- 0.5 teaspoon coriander powder
- vinegar as required, optional
Instructions
- In a pan, add all the ingredients except the vinegar and enough water to cover by 2-3 inches
- Bring to a boil and then simmer on medium heat uncovered until the dried plums swell up, release their seeds and begin to melt into the water to form a thick and jammy sauce.
- How thick or fluid you want to keep the chutney is up to you. Once the plums have integrated into the water and formed a chutney, you can either add more water or continue to dry up the chutney till your desired consistency. I ended up adding about ½ cup of additional water to get to the consistency shown.
- Once you have reached the desired consistency, turn the heat off and taste. Adjust the spice and salt if you feel the need to and if you want more of a tang, then add the vinegar half a tablespoon at a time. I only added ½ tbsp.
- Store in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
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Paul
Hi Fatima,
I’ve just realised that you mean the sour variety, Alu I presume is a variant spelling of Aloo.
Still, could I perhaps use Tamarind for sourness rather than vinegar and even use prunes instead of sugar?
Btw, your Sabzi recipe was fabulous, with the Asian veg.
Thanks again,
Paul
Fatima
Hi Paul!
Yes you’re right, aloo and alu (and tbh anything that sounds like that) are just different spellings for the same thing.
I think you may have some success with using tamarind instead of vinegar, but I don’t think prunes could replace the sugar. Nonetheless, there’s no harm in testing it out - I’d love to hear if you do!
Also glad you enjoyed the sabzi! I have enjoyed reading your comments and I’m glad my recipes have been successful for you.
Paul
Hello Fatima,
A question or two for you if I may?
Are the dried plums that you use Prunes (as they are known in the west) which are sweet, or the sour variety known as Alu Bukhara? I have a jar of the latter and would like to limit the amount of vinegar that I use for sourness so perhaps I could use a mix of the two with some Tamarind paste.
If the Plums that you use are of the sour type then I shouldn’t need Vinegar or Tamarind. If I do need extra sourness, is Tamarind an acceptable substitute for the vinegar?
Thanks,
Paul
Johonna
It worked wonderfully with fresh plumbs! Also with fresh blueberries 👍🏻
S.A
Can we use fresh plums? I've got a ton that I need to use up before they go bad!
Fatima
Ooohh, this chutney is usually made with dried plums - I think fresh could potentially work with some more cooking time!
abida
I have seen dried aloo Bukhara in the shoe before but I thought it was something you used as a spice in Biryanis etc. never knew you could make something from it alone. A fantastic recipe, which I hope to try out soon!
Fatima
Thank you! Do let me know how it goes! 🙂