Winter Chutneys
These spicy side dishes are easy and fun. They add color and flavor to warm your meals and boost immunity to illness and depression. Blanche and finely chop the ingredients into a bowl, then add the stimulating spices. Add a few drops of water and steam it with low heat for up to a minute. When cool add lemon juice and honey as required. After a couple of days the flavors will blend and mature. Add a spoonful to a glass of brandy or serve the chutney with grains, toast, and cheese or meat dishes.
Spicy Apple Chutney
Makes 1 quart jar
Apple is a good source of vitamin C that reduces phlegmy congestion, headaches, and overweight.
Ingredients:
2 cups dried apple slices
¼ cup Tibetan goji berries
¼ cup walnut pieces
Powdered spices to taste: ginger, clove, cardamom, black pepper, and cinnamon.
½ tsp each Ashwagandha, and shatavari powder.
1/2 cup unfiltered apple cider 1
1 tsp. lemon juice and some lemon peel zest
Sweet Apricot Chutney
Makes 1 quart jar
Apricot makes a rich delicious dessert fruit especially with a hint of brandy. Spoon some on whole grain muffins, cake, or ice cream.
Ingredients:
2 cups dried apricots
¼ cup Tibetan goji berries
¼ cup pecan pieces
Powdered spices to taste: cumin, coriander seed powder, asafoetida, turmeric, black pepper, and cardamom powder
1 tsp lemon juice and zest
1 tablespoon raw honey
2 tablespoons brandy
Slimming Bitter Gourd Chutney
Makes 1 quart jar
Kerala (AKA bitter gourd) can be found in Chinese and East Indian food markets but grows throughout the tropics. It is a popular weight loss vegetable in the Caribbean. It reduces high blood sugar, impurities, and body fat.
Ingredients:
2 cups kerala (bitter gourd) sliced with the seeds removed
½ cup thinly sliced green cabbage
Herbs and spices to taste: coriander seed, mustard seed, fennel seed, turmeric powder, cumin, black pepper, asafoetida powder, a few curry leaves, onion, garlic peeled
(optional) ½ tsp salt
3 tablespoon lemon juice
Correct the seasoning in a couple of days. If you want a sweeter mix, add stevia, which is recommended for diabetes.
Letha Hadady is the author of Asian Health Secrets, Personal Renewal, Healthy Beauty and Feed Your Tiger. She is natural health and beauty columnist for New Living magazine in New York and Heal India magazine in Delhi. Her website is www.asianhealthsecrets.com
