Mango and Apple Chutney

To make about five to six 340g jars (around 2kg):

2 onions
2 apples - either cooking apples (not too huge) or granny smith or similar
1.8kg ripe mangoes (about five medium)
3-5 garlic cloves
125g raisins
350g demerara sugar
1 tblsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
0.5 tsp salt
600ml malt vinegar

Method:
Peel and chop the onions fairly finely. Put in a preserving pan or other large heavy-based saucepan. Peel the apples, cut into quarters to remove the core, then chop and add to the pan.

Then prepare the mangoes. This can be a bit of a messy process. I found the easiest way was to make several deep cuts into the fruit, up to the large stone, then remove a wedge at a time. Chop the pieces of mango, easing away from the skin, and add into the pan.

Peel and crush the garlic cloves, and add them. Then put into the pan the raisins, sugar, spices (yes, it really is a whole tablespoon of dried ginger!), salt and vinegar. Heat, stirring lightly, until the mixture starts to boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for about an hour and a half, stirring occasionally.

In the last twenty minutes or so of the cooking, it's important to watch the chutney and keep stirring, so that it doesn't stick. When ready, the excess liquid should have evaporated and the mixture will be dark and pulpy.

Spoon into hot, sterile jars with plastic or plastic-lined lids.

Once opened, a jars should be kept in the fridge and finished within around a month. Excellent served with curries, or any cold meat.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The ingredients for this recipe came from the new 'Good Housekeeping' cookery book, but the explanation is my own. I made this when I saw fresh mangoes in the supermarket, and realised it would be a great deal less expensive than buying ready-made jars of mango chutney, which are quite pricey.

Getting the mango flesh was decidedly messy; if anyone has a fool-proof and simple method of removing the peel and stone so it can be used, please let me know.

The taste isn't quite the same as commercial sweet mango chutney, but we liked it anyway.