This vegan and gluten-free chutney made a big impression on our lunch guests the other day when we had it with samosas, steaming hot basmati rice, and Indian dal.
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I think it is the fresh taste from the ginger, mint, lemon juice, chili, fresh cardamom, and black pepper that was especially pleasing. Or maybe it was the sugar!
Haha. Yes, it was probably the sugar!
Anyway, for myself, I really enjoy the mint flavor that comes through in this chutney.
I used chocolate mint from my garden, and the other ingredients seemed to enhance the mint, for a multi sweet, spicy, and tangy taste, all at the same time.
This apricot chutney is a terrific way to use up extra apricots, especially if they’re too mealy for fresh eating.
In the U.S., fresh apricot season is from mid-May through mid-August, so act fast to make this fresh apricot chutney.
Apricot health benefits
Apricots are not the sweetest fruit, but they do have a lot of character!
Part of this uniqueness comes from their substantial fiber, meaning they digest slower than other fruits due to being a complex carbohydrate.
Apricots have a combination of sweet and astringent tastes. The astringency is dominant, meaning there is an overall dry quality to apricots which concentrates the abundant vitamins and minerals hidden within.
Due to their orange color, we know that apricots contain vitamin A and the powerful antioxidant beta carotene, which supports the eyes and skin.
Apricots are loaded with B vitamins, antioxidant vitamin C, and electrolytes potassium, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, calcium, as well as iron to build your blood, and zinc.
Apricots are anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, which is great for keeping your gut microbes happy and healthy.
Oh my! That reminds me of my favorite apricot juice cubes. Learn about apricot juice cubes here.
Enjoy with …
- A classic pairing for apricot chutney is samosas, which are Indian pastries filled with spiced potatoes and peas. You can find them in the frozen section of most grocery stores.
- Flatbreads like roti, paratha, or naan are the perfect vehicle for a chutney. All you need to complete your experience is some masala aloo (South Indian roasted potato), or roasted sweet potato with ginger & coriander.
- Rice can be bland on it’s own. Add a side of apricot chutney and now it’s an entirely different story!
- You could also try it as a fun addition to a pita wrap or burrito. In fact, anything Mexican-themed will go well.
- Pair this chutney with black beans, or rice and beans.
Spiced Apricot Chutney with Mint
Helpful Kitchen Tools:
- medium saucepan
Ingredients
for the spice preparation
- 6 cardamom pods (½ teaspoon powder), freshly ground
- 12 peppercorns (½ teaspoon powder), freshly ground
for the apricot chutney
- 2 cups fresh apricots, chopped
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 3 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
- ¾ cup unrefined sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
the remaining ingredients
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup golden raisins
Instructions
prepare the spices
- *If you are unable to prepare whole spices, use the powdered spices, and skip directly to the next section “prepare the apricots.”
- Knock the green cardamom pods gently with the back of a knife to open them and remove the seeds. Heat the cardamom seeds with the black peppercorns in a small skillet until it just begins to smoke.
- Remove from heat and set aside until cool. Grind the spices in a spice grinder (a coffee grinder reserved for this purpose works well) or a mortar and pestle. Set aside until needed.
prepare the apricots
- Wash apricots, slice in half, remove the pits, then cut into quarters.
make the chutney
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add prepared apricots, together with the ginger, mint, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat to low, add the prepared cardamom and black pepper, along with the chili powder, salt, and raisins. Simmer until the chutney thickens, stirring occasionally, for about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool, then transfer to a glass jar or serving dish.
Notes
Storage
Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to thee weeks. Adapted from Hari Nayak’s cookbook, “My Indian Kitchen”Nutrition
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Gael
Really liked this recipe. Was given apricots that we’re going off ,
Got nearly 1kg from approx 5 kg apricots, to old for jam but has made a great chutney.
Lathiya Shanmugasundaram
This spiced apricot chutney is all I wanted. I love the cardamom and the spice from peppercorns.
Ashley
Thank you so much for your serving suggestions! I bought some frozen samosas and served this chutney with them and wow! So good! (And no one realized the samosas weren't homemade)
Nicole
This spiced apricot chutney with mint is so flavorful!
Maggie
My husband and I loved this! Will be making again!
Andrea
Amazing and exciting alternative to mango chutney.