Chutney is a sort of a combination pickle and preserve. It is usually made rather sweetly and very hot, and is eaten with curry and rice. It is, however, a fine relish with all kinds of meats. In India it is usually made of the sliced green mango; but of course we haven't mangoes here, so we have to use what we can get. Any tart fruit makes good chutney.
75. Lemon Chutney.
Cut a pound of lemons in twelve bits each, and cook in vinegar and a very little salt until the rinds are perfectly tender. Drain.
Dissolve a pound of sugar in a quart of vinegar; put in the lemons and cook until the mixture becomes thick like jam. Then add a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper (or less), two tablespoonfuls of minced ginger, two tablespoonfuls of mustard seed, and a pound of raisins. Mix all together and boil ten minutes longer.
76. Apple Chutney.
Boil together three pounds of sliced apples, two pounds of sugar, and a quart of strong vinegar. When this begins to get like jam, add half a pound of raisins, four teaspoonfuls of finely-minced garlic, two tablespoonfuls of thinly-sliced green ginger, one teaspoonful of red pepper, and one ounce of mustard seed. Let simmer a while, then bottle and expose to the sun. Apricot chutney is delicious made the same way, with the addition of several ounces of apricot pits, blanched and minced.
77. Rhubarb Chutney.
Make just like apple chutney, only use less vinegar. In addition to the raisins and other ingredients, add a teacupful of finely-minced and blanched almonds. This is worth trying. Less red pepper might be used.
78. Carrot Pickle.
Cut the carrots any way that is desired. If they are very small they need not be cut at all. Sprinkle them well with salt and dry them in the sun for three days, being careful not to forget to bring them in at night. For a pound of carrots take a tablespoonful of mustard seed, half a dozen peppers (sliced), two tablespoonfuls of green ginger (sliced), and two garlics (finely-minced). Cover with vinegar. These are excellent.
79. Mixed Vegetable Pickle.
Eggplant, radishes, onions, carrots, peppers, all are largely used in making pickles in India. They are chopped, sprinkled with salt, and dried for several days in the hot sunshine. Mustard seed, turmeric, and minced garlic are usually added. After several days of sunning they are bottled, covered with vinegar which has been boiled, but which has been cooled.