Jack Fruit Chutney

Here is a chutney to relish (get it?). A few months back I was trying to find canned jack fruit for a recipe my sister in law gave me. I finally found some at an international grocery store and quickly snapped it up. When I got it home, I realized that what I bought was sweetened jack fruit, not the unsweetened kind needed for the recipe. The jack fruit has been waiting patiently for me ever since.

This is a wonderful chutney—tangy, slightly sweet and filled with warm spices. There are a million uses for this—put some out next to a wheel of Brie and some crackers at your holiday party (hello, make ahead recipes!). Serve alongside some baked chicken. Mix a few spoonfuls with mayo for a great sandwich spread. Serve with Indian food. Do what you will with this easy and versatile relish.

Ingredients (makes about 4 cups):

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1 teaspoon whole mustard seed

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

Pinch of ground coriander

Pinch of ground cloves

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced

1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek (or any other chile, chile powder/paste/sauce that you like)

¼ cup red bell pepper, diced

1 Granny Smith apple peeled, cored and diced

2 cans (20 ounces each) jack fruit in syrup, drained and diced

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup white vinegar

Directions:

Heat the oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add in the mustard seed, turmeric powder, cardamom, coriander and cloves. Cook and stir one minute until fragrant. Add in the ginger and Sambal. Cook for another minute or two. Add in the bell pepper, apple, jack fruit, sugar and vinegar. Cook and stir for another minute or two. Bring the mixture up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer, stirring often, for about one hour or until the chutney is thick. Taste and adjust the seasonings about halfway through. If you like a smoother chutney, either blend for a minute with an immersion blender or remove one cup and puree in the food processor before returning it to the pan. I used my immersion (also called a stick or a hand blender) for just a minute to smooth the chutney out.

Remove from the heat and let cool. This can be stored for several weeks in the fridge if kept in covered jars.