Chokecherry, Plum and Crab Apple Chutney

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On Labour Day weekend, we went to the mountains with our friend Haley to gather porcini mushrooms and chokecherries. Then, during some slack time in clinic, Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula students Ally and Liesel made chokecherry, plum and crab apple chutney under Sadananda's expert tutelage. Here is the recipe they used.

This is a right brained recipe--let your eyes and taste buds guide you!

Ingredients

  • Chokecherries, as many as you could gather

  • Crab apples (about 1/3 the volume of the chokecherries)

  • Plums (about 2x the volume of crab apples)

  • Jaggery or raw sugar

  • Raisins or currants

  • Ginger

  • Jalapeno Pepper

  • Cumin

  • Coriander

  • Fennel

  • Star Anise

  • Cardamom

  • Cinnamon

  • Salt

Method

  1. Boil chokecherries with a little water.

  2. Cut up crab apples, and plums, removing cores and stones (pits)

  3. Stew crab apples and plums

  4. Mash chokecherries with potato masher, strain through large sieve, add liquid to stewing crab apples and plums.

  5. Repeat step 4 for a total of four times until all good stuff is extracted from chokecherries.

  6. Add raisins or currant and sugar or jaggery to fruit mix and gently let it cook, stirring well to prevent burning. It will become jam-like.

  7. Chop ginger and chillies, grind spices.

  8. Heat ghee in a pan and make a tarkar by frying the spices, ginger and chillies.

  9. Add to jam mix.

  10. Add a little salt to bring out the flavours.

  11. Offer to God and Guru.

  12. Taste....you may need to add more sweetener to offset the sourness! And if it's now hot enough, you can add more chilies or some cayenne pepper

  13. Serve with rice and dal, or 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!