Rhubarb & Strawberry Chutney

I don't know why I never thought of making a slightly sweet and savory chutney with rhubarb! Being tart, it takes the place of tamarind or cider vinegar or lemon juice in fruity chutneys. All I had to do was add some other sweet fruits, some Indian spices, and cook everything down! 

Anyway, it had to be this year, this month when this had to materialize. Also, thanks to Martha Stewart's recipe for providing me with a base and an idea to expand on. 

I personally really like this recipe. It is tart and sweet with a dominating flavor of curry powder that brings in a familiar note to Indian palates.

Ingredients (makes 1.5 cups worth):

1. 1 cup rhubarbs, peeled and finely chopped
2. 5 big, ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
3. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil / olive oil
4. 1 small red onion, chopped
5. 3 cloves of garlic, minced
6. 2 teaspoons ginger, grated
7. 3/4 cup apple juice
8. 1/2 cup raisins
9. 3 teaspoons sugar*
10. 3/4 teaspoon salt
11. 2 teaspoons curry powder (or a favorite spice mix)

Preparation:

1.  In a saucepan, heat oil. When hot, saute onion until translucent. 
2. Add ginger and garlic and fry along with salt until they are not pungent. 
3. Add the apple juice and raisins and boil for a minute. 
4. Add rhubarbs and strawberries and sugar and stir well. 
5. Cook on medium-high heat until the rhubarb softens. 
6. Add curry powder, decrease the heat and continue to cook until the rhubarb and strawberries cook down and the liquid thickens. The mixture will bubble and thicken.
7. Remove from heat and cool. Add more sugar or spices depending on how tart and flavorful the rhubarb and strawberries are. 
8. I like to puree my chutney like a proper Indian chutney. Else, leave it chunky. 

 
This chutney is a little runnier than regular chunky fruit based chutneys. But, since I aimed for an Indian chutney-like consistency, this worked for me. Cut down on the apple juice if you would like a thicker, chunkier chutney.

Although I added very little sugar in comparison to usual chutneys, this was still not unbearably tart. People who like sweet and sour combinations would especially appreciate this!

*The chutney needed more sugar as it was still tart for me, but I decided not to add any sugar and added more spice