Blueberry and Ginger Chutney

I watched the movie Forest Gump, what now seems like in another lifetime. My favorite line and everyone else’s is the proverbial, Life is like a box of chocolates… And in today’s case that box of chocolates happens to be blueberries. They make this vibrant, very versatile Ginger and Blueberry chutney.  This chutney has all the trappings of a Bengali chutney but is made with blueberries.  This makes for a flexible condiment, that fits into all kinds of meals. My favorite way to enjoy it is either as a part of a Bengali meal, or over roasted fish.

How life and times have changed.

I watched the movie a week after release. So, I watched the movie way too close to the screen (those were the only tickets we got, for the first week of release. I have since learned, one can even wait as long as getting the movie on DVD to watch in one’s jammies and the world does not end.

Well, what I did get from the movie was a saying, that I still love using, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get….” And whenever I have extra blueberries, fresh or frozen I make this chutney.

What happens with a Bengali Chutney?

A Bengali chutney is like a palate cleanser that separates the savory items from the sweet.  I talk a lot more about it in my cookbook.This chutney, with ginger and panchphoron, will transfer this very summery fruit across the seas to Bengal. You will not find a blueberry and ginger chutney in Kolkata, simply because blueberries do not grow in Kolkata. However, making this with either blueberries or even strawberries work really well. And for a more conventional tomato chutney or an instant pot version of a tomato chutney, I have you covered.

This is a gently sweet and slightly spicy condiment, that gets a lot of wholesome healthy blueberries to your table. Here is to a lovely long weekend, at least it is a long one for me.

How do you enjoy this chutney?

If you are like me, you will enjoy it by the spoonful, straight from the pan or jar. But, more normal folks will pair this with a meal, maybe meshing this salmon tikka masala and comforting red lentils as starters.

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Blueberry and Ginger Chutney

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: Makes about 2 cups of chutney.

Blueberry and Ginger Chutney

A blueberry chutney done in the Bengali style of chutney seasoning

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 tablespoon Bengali 5-spice blend (panchphoron)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 2 sticks cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup grated jaggery or brown sugar.
  • 2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries (see note)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil on medium heat for about 1 minute (this should be done in a large saucepan to allow room for the chutney to cook) and add in the panchphoron. The spices should crackle as soon as it makes contact with the oil.
  2. Add in the ginger and stir lightly for about 1 minute.
  3. Add in the salt, lemon juice, chili powder, cinnamon and the brown sugar and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the sugar has melted and a sauce has formed. This takes about 5 minutes.
  4. Add in the blueberries and cook for another 8 to 1o minutes, until the liquid is a deep blue almost purple color and the berries have just popped and released some of their juice. Do not overcook the berries as they should retain their shape.
  5. Cool the mixture and remove the cinnamon sticks and place into jars. I usually keep mine in the fridge where it stays well for 2 - 3 months, so I do not worry about sterilizing the jars, but this can be preserved and will keep for about 1 month.

Notes

If you are using frozen blueberries, reduce the cooking time to 3 minutes.

https://spicechronicles.com/blueberry-ginger-chutney/

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