KHUBANI KI CHUTNEY

Khubani ki chutney is very popular fruit chutney made with apricot, ginger, salt, sugar spiced with chilli and vinegar added to enhance and give a zing to the dish. Khubani ki chutney (apricot chutney) is great with any grilled meat or as a spread on sandwiches etc.

Chutney either sweet or savory is one of the integral part of Indian cuisine. There are arrays of chutneys that can be made from virtually any vegetable, fruit, herb, spices or a combination of them. Chutneys are made exceptionally delicious to be served as condiment or dips along with a variety of snacks, kebabs, breads etc. Chutneys can be wet or dry having a coarse to fine texture. Vinegar or citrus juices are added as preservatives or fermentation in the presence of salt which may be used to create acid.

Type and preparation of chutneys vary widely across regions. Sweet chutney served after a full course meal is an integral part of Bengali cuisine. Chutney is usually prepared according to seasonal ingredient. In summers, it is generally the mango chutney, pineapple etc and in winter, is the irresistible red tomatoes chutney. Combination of apricot with ginger is excellent and refreshing and taste delectable served with grilled fish, meat or poultry. Khubani ki chutney (apricot and ginger chutney) with a bit of zing is perfect with cold meats and cheese too.

Apricots are beautiful fruits that taste delicious, fresh or canned or sun-dried in any form. Apricot is a stone fruit with a seed nut and its shape is similar to peach but slightly smaller with skin that is velvety and golden orange in color. Apricot in its raw state is a bit acidic and the acidity decreases as it ripens and its sugar content increases. When it ripens, the vitamin A within also doubles and fresh apricot fruit tastes smooth and sweet with a wonderful flavor that is a cross between a peach and a plum.

For preparing this luscious and juicy Khubani ki chutney, firstly put the apricots (khubani) in a sauce pan and fill the pan with water so that all the apricots get immersed. Leave the pan aside overnight.

In the morning, cook the apricots until soft. Remove and cool them. Grind the khubanis to a fine and smooth paste. Put sirka, sugar, ginger, chili and salt in a separate sauce pan and put it on low heat. When the sugar gets dissolved, increase the flame and stir continuously. When the syrup thickens, add the apricots (khubanis) and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or till the syrup is thick and remove from heat to cool. When cool, store the Khubani ki chutney in air tight jar and serve when required.

Fruit is highly praised in modern nutrition for its vitamin and mineral content, especially vitamin C and A, which makes them natural antioxidants that help protect the body from free radical damage. Hence do try this recipe and spread it over the bread or sandwich and serve it to the kids. They would surely love the taste. Do try this recipe click on the below link for detailed recipe:

http://www.vahrehvah.com/khubhani+ki+chutney:981

Apricots are often dried, cooked into pastry or eaten as jam.  The calories in apricots multiply many times over when dried, but the amount of calcium, phosphorus and iron also increased significantly. They also have high health-building virtues. The fresh fruit is rich in easily-digestible natural sugars, vitamins A and C, riboflavin (B2) and niacin (B3).

According to Ayurveda, fruit is considered to be one of the most pure foods that we can eat. Fresh fruit chutneys add flavor to the meal, and help add a number of tastes, sometimes all six tastes that are recommended by ayurveda to be included in every main meal. Spicy chutneys bring balance to mild dishes and sweet chutneys bring balance to spicy dishes. Chutney which is cooked or fresh helps digestion. Chutneys are used as dipping with flat breads or appetizers. Most fruits can be used for making chutneys including various berries and stoned fruits as well as dried fruits such as dates and raisins.