Nicola caps off tomato season with a hearty spiced chutney.

The tomato season was short and sweet in my garden this year. The main harvest supplied sweet fruit from mid-January to mid-February. Partly due to the weather, hot and dry, and early planting, by late February it was time to remove the outdoor plants. This is always a tricky thing to do when there is still green fruit hanging on the vines but with space a short commodity in my suburban garden, and winter seedlings becoming leggy the space was required.

Knowing the green tomatoes would continue to ripen, I collected them to ripen in the warmth of the sunroom. Like magic, their colour changed over a few weeks blushing red ready to use. Being an outdoor roma-style tomato they aren’t super juicy for slicing on toast (a summer/autumn favourite), but they are perfect for cooking. A spiced kasundi with autumn apples for some added sweetness was the answer.

A wide-based pan is your best friend when making jams and chutney as the more surface area, the quicker evaporation of excess moisture. I have a favourite pan, wide and shallow with a solid base, which I use for all my preserves and sauces. Purchased at an op shop many years ago, it isn’t fancy but exceptionally functional.

Tomato & Apple Kasundi

The addition of apple in this spiced chutney complements the late-season tomatoes to add some sweetness. They also help to thicken the sauce as the apple softens once cooked. If making this with juicy fresh tomatoes, first chop and toss with 1 teaspoon salt and leave to drain in a colander for an hour to remove excess moisture. Or, this can also be made with canned chopped tomatoes using an 800g can (or 2 x 400g) and allow extra cooking time for the excess moisture to boil off.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 50-60 minutes
Makes 3 x 300g jars

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp brown mustard seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 heaped tsp ground coriander
1 heaped tsp turmeric powder
5cm fresh ginger root, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small red chill, finely chopped, or ½ – 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
about 800g tomatoes, chopped into 1cm cubes
3-4 apples (about 500g), cores removed and grated
⅓ cup (80ml) apple cider vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt

METHOD

In a large wide-based saucepan or preserving pan heat the oil over a moderate heat. Once hot add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, coriander, and turmeric. Use a wooden spoon to stir over the heat for 1 minute to toast the spices. Add the prepared ginger, garlic, and chilli, and stir for another minute. Add the tomatoes, grated apple, vinegar, sugar and salt and stir well to combine.

Bring to a simmer then cook over a low heat for about 40-45 minutes until thickened – keeping in mind it will thicken some once cooled. It is important to leave the lid off for excess moisture to evaporate. Stir regularly to prevent the sauce from catching, stirring more so towards the end of cooking.

Sterilise the jars and lids using your preferred method (oven, boiling or dishwasher) and fill the hot jars with the hot sauce to come within 5 mm from the top of the jar. Secure the lids and leave to cool on a wooden board.

Once cool, check the lids have sealed (inverting into the jar), name and date and store in a cool dark place for up to 6 months. Once opened, store in the fridge and use within 1 month.

This is a wonderful accompaniment to vegetable fritters, sandwiches and toasties. It doesn’t last long around here!