Plum and Dates Chutney

Wash, pit the plums, discard stem (if any) and chop them to about 0.5-inch cubes. Soak raisins in a bowl with about 0.5 cups lukewarm water. Slice and chop the dates.

Heat the mustard oil in a deep frying pan on medium heat. Add the dry red chillies, bay leaf and nigella seeds (kalonji). Let them splutter for a quick couple seconds.

Quickly add the chopped plums and dates. Add a little salt and turmeric.

Cover cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Stir and mix contents mid-way.

Open the pan lid and cook for 2 more minutes on low-medium heat to get rid of excess moisture.

Spoon out the raisins and add them to the plum sauce in the pan. Add the Kashmir red chilli powder and Gur/jaggery (If jaggery isn’t available, use sugar.) Mix the pan contents and stir. I do not like my chutney too sweet.

Add more Gur or sugar if you prefer it sweeter. By now the plums and dates should be soft and very mushy. (If not, cover cook for a couple more minutes.)

Stab and press down the plum chunks slightly for a chunky, yet thick bodied chutney. You may use a mixing ladle or potato masher for this purpose.

In a small bowl, mix the whole wheat flour in 1.5 to 2 tbsp water and whisk so there aren’t any flour lumps. Add this mixture to the chutney in the pan and simmer cook for about 1 minute.

This would thicken the chutney sauce and give it a fuller consistency and texture.) Take the pan off from heat.

Toast the cumin seeds on another clean, dry pan over medium heat. Stir and toast till done and fragrant. Pound to reduce the seeds to semi-fine dust in a mortar and pestle or grinder.

Mix the ground toasted cumin seeds in the chutney for a delectable aroma and flavour. Check taste for optimal salt, sweet and seasoning.

Pick out the bay leaf and dried red chillies from the chutney and discard. Serve the chutney chilled, warm or at room temperature with anything and everything.

This plum chutney is a great condiment and can be consumed as a dip, dessert, side, chunky sauce, topping or a spread. Jar them beautifully and you’ve got one homemade priceless little present for your loved ones. Enjoy the yum!