Recipe | Persimmon, tamarind + date chutney

When persimmons are ripe (but not soft), save some to make this stand-out chutney. Team it with pies, curries and egg dishes, or use it in sandwiches and on crackers with a good vintage Cheddar.

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Makes approx. 8x 400g jars

Ingredients

150g block tamarind paste

1 cup hot water

2kg persimmons

400g dates

½ cup cooking oil

2 tbsp fenugreek seeds

2 tbsp cumin seeds

150g peeled and minced fresh ginger*

2 tsp chilli powder or to taste

3 cups water

1 cup malt vinegar

1 tbsp salt

750g brown sugar

Method

Cut and weigh 150g from a block of tamarind paste (this provides a far superior flavour to buying tamarind concentrate in a jar). Break up with your fingers into a heatproof bowl and pour over 1 cup hot water. Soak for 20 minutes. Strain through a sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon to collect as much paste as possible. Discard the seeds along with any remaining fibre.

Weigh then peel 2kg ripe but not soft persimmons. Chop the Flesh into small dice about the size of your pinky fingernail.

Stone the dates and chop small, using either a sharp, heavy knife or kitchen scissors.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Sauté the fenugreek seeds until sizzling, then add the cumin seeds. Be careful not to scorch them. It is a good idea to have the prepared persimmons, dates, ginger, chilli powder and water ready to quickly stir in along with the vinegar, salt and prepared tamarind.

Bring the mix to boiling point, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Stir in the brown sugar and simmer for 1 hour, or until the surface of a teaspoonful on a freezer-chilled saucer wrinkles when nudged with a finger.

Pour into hot, sterilised jars and seal with hot, sterilised screw-on metal lids.

*Use pre-prepared for convenience.

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More recipes by Rowan Bishop — 

Zucchini relish

Green herb mayo