Mixed Fruit Chaatni | Chutney
A Bengali chutney made with seasonal fruits that is the perfect last course for any meal or can be used for chapati rolls and sourdough toppings.
The chaatni, that lip-licking last course of a Bengali meal, is integral to Bengali cuisine. It cuts through the richness of the fish or mutton curry to prepare the taste buds for the dessert and kickstarts the digestive process most satisfactorily. Just what you need before you dive into the lush desserts!
Such is the importance of chaatni (chaat is ‘lick’ in the Bengali language) that a formal meal is incomplete without it. Case in point – when my baby sister got married a few months ago and we huddled to plan the menu for 3 days of festivities, the chaatni decision took forever!
The numbers of chaatni that the Bengali cuisine boasts of would require a book of its own – from fruits to vegetables, chaatni can be made from nearly everything in season. So while the ubiquitous tomato chaatni is a favourite throughout the year, the kaacha aam (raw mango) chaatni is savoured in summers, and the kool (Indian jujube) makes an appearance in January/February. And then there are the fruit chaatnis made with pineapple, plum, apple and more. The mixed fruit chaatni is one such.
Made with seasonal fruits, the chaatni is slow-cooked with jaggery/unprocessed sugar/white sugar till it reaches desired consistency. It’s then given a tangy twist with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before being bottled and tucked into the refrigerator. Copious amounts are scooped out every day for the post-lunch lip licking and to ensure we end the meal with a sigh of delight. While it tastes beautiful on its own, Maa swears by her combination of chapati + mixed fruit chaatni roll, and I had a delectable party in my mouth when I used it as a spread over a slice of sourdough. This all-around-the-year chaatni is bound to be a favourite for those who love their sweet and tangy.
THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN MAKING THE MIXED FRUIT CHAATNI
- Opt for a combination of 4-5 fruits
- Mix firm fruits like apples, pears, pineapple with softer fruits like strawberries, plums, cherries
- Avoid citrus fruits like oranges and mandarin; these tend to melt, and unless sweet, they’ll sour the chaatni
- I prefer to use unprocessed sugar or jaggery in my food. You can use white sugar or sugar syrup as a sweetener
- If using canned products, like canned pineapple, use the juice to sweeten
- I love cinnamon, but don’t use it if you aren’t a cinnamon person
The mention of oranges/mandarin has inspired me to make a mandarin chaatni before the season ends. So while I figure that, go ahead and make yourself some mixed fruit chaatni.
