Thanks to all my FB friends on Sri Lankan Food Lovers for the recipes that inspired me!!
Before the preparation of this chutney - kindly read the recipe as you have to really prepare for it!!
Ingredients
500g Dates
1 tbsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp chilli powder
8 Sri Lankan pickled lime (you could find this in an Asian store - it is called Lunu Dehi)
2 cups vinegar
8 cloves Garlic
2" Ginger stalk (to give 2 tbsp)
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup raisins
Method
Remove the seeds from the dates and keep aside.
Remove the seeds from the lime pickle as the chutney will get bitter if there are any seeds and cut the Sri Lankan Lime pickle (lunu dehi) into small strips and set them aside.
Remove the garlic skin and grind the Garlic and keep aside and clean the skin of the piece of ginger with a tsp and keep the grated Ginger aside.
Soak mustard seeds overnight in 1/4 cup of vinegar - take out of the vinegar from the mentioned amount above.
On the day you are making the chutney:
Soak the raisins in 1/2 cup water about 3 hours before making the chutney.
Sterilize the glass jars before starting and keep them to dry.
Half an hour before making the chutney, blend the mustard (including the vinegar in which the mustard seeds were soaking) with the grated ginger and minced garlic.
Place a pan over low heat, and add the blended liquid of the mustard-ginger-garlic, remaining vinegar(1 and 3/4 cups), chilli powder and sugar to the pan. Stir. Simmer the ingredients in the pan for 10 minutes on a slow fire. Season with salt.
Now add into the pan the dates, lime, and raisins (including the water the raisins were soaking) and bring them to a boil.
Once it starts boiling, immediately reduce and lower the heat and simmer on low for 30 minutes or until the chutney thickens.
Whilst the chutney is cooking, use a wooden spoon, and smash the dates, lime and raisins into smaller pieces until it reaches a smooth consistency.
You could use a hand-held blender to blitz the chutney for a smoother texture. If you like to have a bit of pieces don't blitz too much.
Taste the chutney and add more sugar or salt to your liking.
Once the chutney is ready, remove from the fire, let the chutney completely cool in the pan, and then transfer the chutney into the sterilized dry bottles and refrigerate.
The darker the lime pickle is the better the colour of your chutney.
NB: This is a real rice puller and a great gift when visiting some one.
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