Chutneys and sauces
Practical Action
Weigh out the ingredients accurately. Use weighing scales if you have them. If not, use the
same measuring cup or container each time you make the product so that it is the same from
one batch to the next.
Preparation of the jars and lids
For glass jars: wash the jars and lids and put them into a large saucepan. Fill the saucepan with
water so that the jars and lids are covered and heat until the water boils. Boil for about 5
minutes. Remove the jars and turn upside down so that the water can all drain out. DO NOT dry
them with a dirty cloth.
If you are using recycled plastic jars, clean them with a solution of chlorinated water (100ppm).
Turn upside down so all the water can drain out.
Mix ingredients
Mix the dry spices- chilli powder, ginger powder, salt and curry powder.
Heat
Heat the dry spices in some of the sunflower oil (about 50ml). Stir well to prevent the spices
burning. Add the onions to the spicy oil and fry until they are soft (about 5 minutes).
Add the rest of the oil and the vinegar. Stir well.
Add the cabbage and cook for 5 minutes. Stir to prevent burning.
Add the carrots and capsicum and cook for 5 minutes until the carrot is soft. Keep stirring to
make sure the chutney does not burn.
Filling and packaging
Hot-fill the chutney into clean sterile jars. Fill them to within 2cm of the top of the jar. Seal
with a lid and cool to room temperature. Make sure that there is a layer of liquid from the
chutney covering the vegetables or they will spoil when the jar is opened. Clean the outside rim
of the jar and put on the lid. Close the lid as tightly as possible.
Slowly turn the jar upside down so that any bacteria on the lid of the jar or in the space at the
top are killed. Leave the jar upside down until it is cold. When the jars are cold test each lid to
make sure it has a good seal.
Storage
Store the chutney in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight. It will store for up to 6 months.
References and further reading
Dry Salted Lime Pickle Practical Action Technical Briefs
Dry Salted Pickled Cucumbers Practical Action Technical Briefs
Fruit Vinegar Practical Action Technical Briefs
Green Mango Pickle Practical Action Technical Briefs
Lime Pickle (Brined) Practical Action Technical Briefs
Pickled Papaya Practical Action Technical Briefs
Pickled Vegetables Practical Action Technical Briefs
Pineapple Peel Vinegar Practical Action Technical Briefs
Preservation of Fruit and Vegetables: Agrodok 3, Agromisa, 1997
Pickles of Bangladesh, Practical Action Publishing 1994
Small scale Fruit and Vegetable Processing and Products, UNIDO Technology Manual.
Marketing for Small scale Farmers, CTA
Setting up and Running a Small Fruit or Vegetable Enterprise: Opportunities in Food Processing,
CTA
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