Alakananda's Famous Apple Chutney

When I was a child in Britain, many of our Halloween customs were associated with the apple harvest. All of us had wonderful heirloom varieties of apples in our gardens, both eating apples and large green cooking apples. We played bob apple, snap apple and 'pass the apple' and made toffee apples as a special treat. Meanwhile, my mother and I made huge quantities of apple chutney. This year, after so much rain all season, Boulder has an unprecedented apple harvest. Here's an example of a typical Alandi apple chutney recipe.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds apples

  • Juice of one orange

  • 1 tbsp orange zest

  • 2 tsp fennel seeds

  • 1 tsp cumin seeds

  • 1tsp coriander seeds

  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

  • 1 tsp chopped green chilies

  • 1 pinch mace

  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

  • 2 pinch nutmeg

  • ½ cup or more of muscovado sugar

  • ½ cup raisins or currants

  • 1 pinch salt


Method

Wash and chop apples, discardiong any blemished parts. Add orange juice, orange zest, and enough water to cover the apples. Boil slowly in thick-bottomed pan. When the apples are soft, add the sugar raisins and cook to desired consistency (chunkier or more jam-like as you wish). Fry spice seeds, ginger and chilies in small amount of ghee and add to the mixture. Taste to adjust seasonings and sweetener. If it's not spicy enough for your taste, you can add cayenne pepper.

Menu suggestion: serve with Tridoshic Yam Kitchari .

Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

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