To be honest, I never tasted Indian food until I moved to Boston for college (sad, but true).  I tried it once and was absolutely hooked…to ordering over-priced and excruciatingly slow delivery.  I thought I’d have to spend loads of extra money buying a bunch of special ingredients.  Nearly six years later, I was pondering what kind of snacks to make for my family road trip to Virginia, and found the below ingredients in my Ma’s fridge.  Since I had already made flat bread, I wanted to make something to go with it.  Making a chutney takes a bit of time to achieve the right consistency, but it’s so worth it in the end.  I improvised with this, so you can easily change it up according to your tastes.  For a crisper, less smoky flavor, leave out the barbecue sauce.  Enjoy!

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 apples, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 large onion
• 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
• 3 large tomatoes, very finely chopped
• 1/4 carrot, shredded and finely chopped
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1 tbsp apple cider/red wine vinegar
• 2 1/2  tbsp barbecue sauce
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cilantro/coriander
• large pinch of paprika
• pinch of cumin
• dash of lemon juice
• pinch of salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Soak tomatoes in hot water for 2 minutes-it makes peeling the skin off much easier.  Add all ingredients to a large pot, bring to a boil for one minute, then reduce to a simmer (uncovered) for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Yields 12 ounces

Smoky Apple Chutney