Green Mango Chutney

Green mango chutney is my go-to solution for the scattered unripe green mangoes I find at the base of my trees every Spring.

The constant barrage of bluejays and squirrels who come to forage through the branches to feast on sweet ripe mangoes results in dozens of unripe mangoes being knocked down before they've had a chance to ripen.

Unlike tender and ripe mangoes, the young green ones are very tart and still hard. Instead of tossing them away, I decided a few years ago to start making Indian mango chutney with them.

Chutney originated in India. Green Mango Chutney is a condiment, also known as raw mango chutney. Its tangy taste makes it a perfect complement to cheeses, meat, lamb and chicken.

History of Chutney

Chutneys originated in India around 500 B.C. Chutneys are generally made with fruit, sugar, vinegar and spices, then cooked down to a reduction.

Vinegar was added to the recipe for English-style chutney in order to give a longer shelf life to autumn fruit so it could be used throughout the year.

Ripe mangoes are sweet and are not used for chutneys as they are eaten raw. Green unripe mangoes are hard and sour, and they are cooked as chutneys. Luckily, we have a couple of mango trees in our backyard that yield a lot of fruit. Every spring, a number of unripe mangoes fall due to bluebirds and crows poking around looking for ripe fruit.

Instead of wasting all those fallen unripe mangoes, I decided to start collecting them and making green mango chutney from them. I make a few large batches over a few week period. The chutney will store for 2 months in the refrigerator (in a covered glass jar) and for a few months in the freezer.

Making Green Mango Chutney

Green Mango Chutney is fairly easy to make. Most of the work involves peeling, slicing and dicing the mangoes. You can make chutney with just sugar and vinegar. However, I much prefer adding a number of spices to give it an authentic Indian flavor.

And there are a lot of spices that go into this. Those include, ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, garlic, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, salt and a chili pepper. The authentic recipe calls for nigella seeds, also known as Black Cumin or Kalonji. But you can still create a fantastic chutney without it.

Start by peeling and dicing about 10 green mangoes. Then heat oil in a large pot and sauté the ginger, garlic and red chilies for a minute. Add the spices and sauté for another minute. Next, add the diced mangoes, sugar, salt, and vinegar and stir to combine. Bring them to a rapid boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer the mixture for about 1 hour.

Once reduced, used a potato masher and smash the mixture to your preferred consistency. Some like it a little chunkier, however I like mine a little smoother.

Mango Chutney Uses

Serve it with meat, such as chicken or lamb. We love ours with roast chicken. You can also use chutney thinned with water, to glaze chicken or duck.

You can also serve it with cheese, like brie or cream cheese.

Another method is to spread in sandwiches. Try some chutney to spice up a chicken salad sandwich, or in a grilled cheese sandwich.

Storing Green Mango Chutney

Chutney will keep for a while because of the high acidity content. A conservative time frame would be up to 2 months in the fridge (in a sealed jar) or for several months in the freezer. Canning Instructions (for even longer shelf-life): Pour the hot mixture directly into sterilized jars and process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Let sit undisturbed for 24 hours, then store in a dark, cool place. It will keep for at least a year. This recipe makes roughly 2 ½ pints of mango chutney.

See more Mango recipes here.

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