A few weeks back GG asked me if I wanted fruits from the supermarket. On an impulse, I asked her to buy some plums so I could make this plum chutney. On the day I was supposed to make the chutney, I realised we had some fresh pineapple at home which was quite sour and no one wanted to eat it. So I decided to incorporate the pineapples plus some ginger into the chutney and the result was this tangy and slightly sweet pineapple, plum and ginger chutney.

Plum, Pineapple and Ginger Chutney

Ingredients:

• 8 red/purple plums
• ½ fresh pineapple
• 1 cup raisins or dates
• 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled
• Salt to taste
• 1-2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp fennel powder
• Jaggery powder to taste (optional)

Method:

• Soak the raisins or dates in hot water for 30 minutes, drain and keep aside.
• Deseed the plums and chop them into small pieces.
• Blend the pineapple, plums, ginger and raisins into a smooth paste.
• Strain this paste into a large pan so there are no lumps. At this point, it will be a light pink or red mixture.
• Heat the pan and let the mixture come to a boil. You can add a bit of water if needed.
• Add the dry spices – salt, red chilli powder and cumin powder and let the mixture bubble and cook until it thickens.
• If the mixture is still sour, add some brown sugar or jaggery to balance the taste. 
• Switch off the gas and let the chutney cool. Once it cools, it becomes a gorgeous purple chutney.

This chutney can be used instead of tamarind chutney and keeps well in the fridge for a few weeks. Remember to use a dry spoon when using it, so there is no contamination.