I'm thinking of chutney, because I can make it with yummy fruits and vegetables. Plus, I can decorate the jars to give my gift a super personal touch. (I can almost see the smiles on the kids' faces now:)
I discovered chutney watching the Food Network. I was thinking a tomato chutney, but this mango chutney recipe is delicious. I think my children will love this. Here is the recipe.
Mango Chutney
Ingredients
4 lbs. fresh mangos, ripe but not too soft, peeled
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chile flakes
2 1/2 cups medium dice red onion
1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
1 cup small dice red bell pepper
8 ounces unsweetened pineapple juice
4 ounces cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
Kosher salt and fresh ground white pepper
1/2 cup raisins or golden raisins
1/2 cup toasted, roughly chopped macadamia nuts
Directions
Cut the mango flesh away from the pit. The pit is shaped similar to an obelisk, so you'll end up with 2 large pieces and 2 smaller pieces from each mango. Rough chop the mango.
In a saute pan heat the oil and add the chile flakes. Be careful not to burn the chile, just toast to flavor the oil. Add the onions and sweat until soft. Add the ginger and bell pepper and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Finally add the mango and cook for 1 more minute.
In a separate bowl, combine the pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, and curry powder. Add this mixture to the pan. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a bare simmer and reduce for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Add the raisins and the nuts and transfer to another container over an ice bath. I used a mild yellow curry powder, but if you want it hotter go for red.
Yield: about 4 cups
Ingredients
4 lbs. fresh mangos, ripe but not too soft, peeled
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chile flakes
2 1/2 cups medium dice red onion
1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
1 cup small dice red bell pepper
8 ounces unsweetened pineapple juice
4 ounces cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
Kosher salt and fresh ground white pepper
1/2 cup raisins or golden raisins
1/2 cup toasted, roughly chopped macadamia nuts
Directions
Cut the mango flesh away from the pit. The pit is shaped similar to an obelisk, so you'll end up with 2 large pieces and 2 smaller pieces from each mango. Rough chop the mango.
In a saute pan heat the oil and add the chile flakes. Be careful not to burn the chile, just toast to flavor the oil. Add the onions and sweat until soft. Add the ginger and bell pepper and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Finally add the mango and cook for 1 more minute.
In a separate bowl, combine the pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, and curry powder. Add this mixture to the pan. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a bare simmer and reduce for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Add the raisins and the nuts and transfer to another container over an ice bath. I used a mild yellow curry powder, but if you want it hotter go for red.
Yield: about 4 cups
Optionally, it is still great if you omit the curry. It's okay to add less ginger, too. Taste is all a matter of personal preference. I used frozen mangos without a problem, but fresh is best.
To give as a homemade gift, put one cup of chutney that you make in a Ball jar. Add a decorative lid skirt, and tie a bow around the lid with a satin ribbon.
Don't miss discovering the wonder of chutney. It is delicious as a condiment with chicken, turkey and pork. Chutneys can be wet or dry, have anywhere from a coarse to fine texture. There is no limit to the variety of chutneys, because a chutney can be mixed with any vegetable, fruit, herb, spice combination. Chutneys come in two major groups, sweet and hot; both forms usually contain various spices, including chili, but differ by their main flavor.