Pumpkin and Sesame Chutney
This is the recipe for one of our most famous chutneys. The natural sweetness of pumpkin is spiced with sesame seeds and ginger to warm up even the coldest winter day. This is our best seasonal chutney on our classic poached egg roll at the cafe. At home we serve it along side curries and cheese toasties alike.
Makes: 4 – 5 x 300 ml jars
Ingredients
2kg pumpkin cored and skin removed. (you will need 1.5 kg roasted pumpkin all up)
500 g onion peeled and sliced
¼ cup vegetable oil for roasting
¼ cup vegetable oil for onions
60 gm ginger
2 medium garlic cloves
2 teaspoons black mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon sesame seeds toasted
pinch cayenne pepper
1 ¾ cups of apple cider vinegar
¼ cup water
½ cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown suagr
2 teaspoons of salt.
Method
Pre heat oven 180 degrees.
Prep pumpkin by removing skin, core and seeds. Cut into medium chunks, place on baking tray with ¼ cup of oil and ½ teaspoon of salt. Place into pre heated oven for 40 minutes until soft and caramelised.
Dry roast sesame seeds in a small fry pan until golden. Then set aside.
While pumpkin is cooking, slice onions up and prep ginger and garlic. Place remaining oil into medium size saucepan and sauté the onions down until soft and translucent. Add in ginger and garlic. Stir in the mustard seeds, cumin, cayenne pepper and sesame seeds and cook for a minute.
Mix the roasted pumpkin through; it will fall apart as you do this. Add all the sugar, vinegar, water and remaining salt. Stir to combine, then reduce the heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Because the pumpkin is already cooked, this chutney won’t take long to reach the right consistency. It should be thick, with no puddles of vinegar on the surface – you’ll be able to run your wooden spoon through and see the bottom of the pan for a few seconds. If it’s to dry, you can loosen it up by stirring in a little more vinegar or water.
To sterilise your jars: give your jars and lids a soapy hot wash and a good rinse or put them through the dishwasher. Put jars into a low oven (110 degrees) for 15 minutes. Boil the lids for 5 minutes in a small saucepan, then let air dry.
Take hot sterilised jars out of the oven and carefully fill jars with hot relish. Remove any air bubbles and seal immediatley. Cool on the bench top and then store in a cool dark place for up to 6 months. Try and let sit for at least a month before eating.
To extend the shelf life to 2 years, heat process jars for 15 minutes.