Kurma

'Too Hot to Bear, Too Sweet to Resist'...That's the famous chutney mantra. So much chili that it's unbearable, but so sweet and tasty that you can't stop eating it. A sort of culinary masochism. I was even thinking of designing a t-shirt with it on. But I digress...

Cooking is a form of relaxation for me, especially when I'm not too 'cooked-out' from teaching, if I'm home alone, and in the mood for some spontaneous kitchen adventures. These rare circumstances all converged last weekend - my son and father were both away on 'sleepovers'. So I took advantage.

I surveyed the scene: plenty of fresh chilies (the last of the season) and some super-ripe tomatoes. Tomato chutney!

I blanched the tomatoes, peeled and chopped them, heated a little olive oil in a saucepan, and toasted some cumin seeds until they were fragrant. I added the chopped fresh chilies - fiery red savinas and yellow habaneros - and added them to the pan.

Not illustrated here are the other ingredients I used: a tiny piece of cinnamon stick, a small handful of organic sultanas, and a smidge of sea salt. I reduced the chutney way down before adding the final ingredient: a moderate handful of organic raw sugar.

And there it is; hot, sweet, nose-tingling and irresistible. A bit like me (not).

Discuss (3 responses) Comment [3] Too Hot to Bear, Too Sweet to Resist