Dry Mango Slice (Khatai) Chutney
Aam ki Khatai ki Chatni
Maya Sen
This recipe was given to me by Nani Maya, as she is affectionately called by our children. She is the mother of my late friend Dr. Krishna Sen-Mamta.
The word ‘chutney’ comes from original Hindi word ‘chatni’. Chatni is a tangy, spicy sauce, that makes you smack you lips, makes your tongue and mouth come alive! The word ‘chat’ or ‘chaat’ mean ‘lick’ and ‘chatna’ means ‘to lick’. The original Indian chatni is a mix of uncooked fruit (raw mango/apple/other fruits), green chillies, herbs like coriander and mint, a few spices, lemon or vinegar or tamarind, sometimes sugar, all ground together to a paste. Other ingredients can also be added according to taste. In England, and the West, Chutney generally means a spicy preserve or condiment, where fruits or vegetables have been cooked in vinegar, with spices and sugar, and then bottled.
Ingredients
200 gm. dry, green mango slices or sabut khatai.
2 cups water
2 tbsp. brown sugar or jaggery (gur)
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 large pinch of asafoetida (hing) powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp. cooking oil
1 tsp. ground ginger powder (fresh can be used)
1 tsp. Garam Masala
Instructions
Wash dry mango slices thoroughly to remove dust.
Boil in water, until soft.
Measure all other ingredients.
Heat oil in a pan
Add cumin seeds and asafoetida and wait until seeds splutter. Do not let the seeds burn.
Add boiled mango slices with the water they were boiled in.
Add sugar or jaggery and ground ginger. Give it a good boil.
Adjust sugar and salt
Add garam masala.
Bottle and keep in the fridge and serve with all kind Indian savoury snacks. It can be frozen but it is not suitable for long term bottling.
Notes
Khatai is made by drying the raw green mangoes slices in hot sun. It is available in packets from Indian stores.
