Plum Chutney

Was rushing for last weekend shopping for veggies when my eyes caught red luscious fruit on the roadside. I was pleased to see Plum a.k.a Aloo Bukhara. It’s always a pleasure to try out new fruits and veggies. I unhesitatingly fetched 250gms of it. All I could recall was, when I was a kid, Daddy once brought this and was telling mom about a chutney he tasted when he was at one of his friend’s places. Mom tried the chutney and it was a yummy delight to all of us.

But honestly speaking, I didn’t recollect any form of plum. The closest I could guess were berries or grapes, thinking it to be sweet. But the ripe red color was deceptive, it has faint sweetness and was sour. Then  an old faint memory of that chutney compelled me to call Mom and ask her how to cook for it. It was a very simple recipe, but was a true assortment to many dishes for the week long.

The recipe goes like this:

Ingredients:

1. Plum / Aloo Bukhara – 250 gms
2. Panch Phoron – 1 tsp
3. Red Chilies – 2 pieces broken
4. Turmeric Powder – 1tsp
5. Salt – According to the taste
6. Sugar – 2-3 tbsp
7. Vegetable Oil – 1 tbsp
8. Curry Leaves – 1 stick

1. Wash the plums and pat dry it.
2. Cut the plums into small cubes.

   

3. Heat a pan, and add the Vegetable oil to it.
4. Once the oil is hot, add the Panch Phoron. If you don’t have the Panch Phoron you can add some Cumin seeds along with some fennel seeds.
5. Then add the red chilies and stir it for 1-2 mins adding curry leaves to the pan.

   

6. After the flavors are released into the oil, add the cut plum pieces and stir it for 2-3 minutes.

   

7. Then add the salt according to taste and turmeric powder and stir it.

   

8. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 2-3 mins.
9. At some time, you see the juices are released from the cooked plums. Add the sugar and saute it for 2-3 minutes.

   

The chutney is a delightful blend of sweetness and sourness of plum. Try serving it as an assortment with your meals. If you have a sweet tooth, serve it with dosas.