Green Tomato Chutney

Pictured here with Cornish Pasties

Remember those Cornish pasties from last time? Well here's the chutney that accompanies them:
It was a Saturday morning in Autumn, and I stared at the pile of pumpkins in the corner of the kitchen, flanked by 2 large plastic bowls, one full of apples, the other an assortment of green and ripe tomatoes- the last of our home-grown ones- my husband was waiting to get into that corner to finish off fitting the new skirting, and there was only one thing to do- use up as much produce as possible! The apples I sorted and washed, ready for dehydrating into apple rings, my husband relocated the pumpkins in the cellar where the potatoes live, I refrigerated the ripe tomatoes and gathered up the green ones into a bowl.... now, should I clutter up the windowsill for a week or so, hoping they turn red before they go mouldy, or should I cook them up into something?- You've guessed it; I decided to cook them, and I came up with this recipe. I had never eaten green tomatoes before, let alone made any chutney from them, so I didn't quite know what to expect, and when I tried one I was a little disappointed by its astringency and lack of flavour, so I included ginger, chilli, fresh lemon and mustard seeds in my chutney. The result was tasty; even better after a night in the refrigerator. It is a great chutney to go with savouries like pasties or pies or even with a nut roast. This quantity of tomatoes made 2 large jars of chutney, and it's still going strong several weeks later!


1.3kg green tomatoes washed and chopped/ quartered (depending on size)
400g soft dark brown sugar/ grated jaggery or gour
300g sultanas
100g peeled grated ginger root
6 tabs cold-pressed sunflower oil
2 tsps salt
2 tabs mustard seeds
1/2 tab hing
1 tab powdered turmeric (haldi)
4 tabs ume plum dressing
1 tsp chilli powder
1 lemon, cut into very thin quartered rounds

• Pop the mustard seeds in the oil
• Remove pan from the heat and add the ginger, hing turmeric and salt 
• Return to a medium to low heat and stir in the tomatoes, sugar and sultanas
• Put the lid on and cook gently until the tomatoes are broken down, the sugar melted and the sultanas nice and plump from the liquid. Test if it has reached setting point by dropping a little into cold water or onto a cold spoon. It will gather itself into a little ball in the water or thicken when it touches the cold metal if it is ready.
• Stir in the ume plum dressing, the chilli powder and the lemon slices and put into scalded jars. When cool, keep in the refrigerator