Local melons are cheap  and abundant right now and paired with apples and ginger they make a great chutney.  I like the idea of capturing them in their freshness and keeping them for the winter months.

It  is important to use fresh melons for this recipe not over-ripe ones or those that have been in the fridge for a while.

You can use any type of melon for this recipe with the exception of watermelon

Melon Chili Ginger Chutney

This chutney has the same consistency as the traditional mango chutney and it is going to be a great accompaniment to curries, with poppadums, or simply served with a cheese platter.

You will need :

1 kg Apples, preferably cooking
1 kg Melon
6 limes, zest and juice
2 kg Sugar
3 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger but you can add more if you prefer
Dried chili flakes, 1 used 3 teaspoons but adjust according to your taste

Chop up apples with skin on and pour the lime juice and mix well to prevent discoloration.
Cover and stew on low heat until soft and mushy,.
Break up with masher.
Peel the melon and chop.
Add to the apple mixture and cook until you can mash it up. Add the grated ginger.
I do not like a completely puréed look and leave some bits and chunks.
Add the sugar, stir and bring to a rolling boil for around 10 minutes. Do not overdo it as you want to retain a light color.
Use the saucer method for testing the setting point. Place a saucer in the freezer and test the chutney by putting a few drops on the cold plate. If it wrinkles when you push it with your finger, it has reach setting point. If it is still runny, return to heat, boil and retest.

Chop up the dried chili and use the quantity you are comfortable with. I used r teaspoons of while dried chilis and chopped them up. This makes it very spicy as we prefer spicy chutneys but it is best to put less and I increase it if you wish.

I usually calculate that each kilo of fruit yields 12 x 150 g jars. Sterilize jars as described above and fill.

The taste is fantastic. I enjoyed making it and look forward to sharing and eating it very soon

I tried a new way of sterilizing jars and lids a couple of years ago and although it  is more time consuming, I feel it is a much better method for sterilization.

What you need to do is boil the jars and lids in a large caldron for 20 minutes, then using tongs take two sets of jars and lids, fill, cover immediately with lid and turn upside down down for a few minutes. Keep the water temperature on a low boil until you finish the process. It is true that this is a long process but I feel more satisfied with this method of sterilization somehow.


Turning over the jars upside down for a few minutes after filling them

With this chutney I recommend Peppered Tan-Nar Cheese

I use fruit by Big Fresh Mosta and Barbuto, Preserving Jars from Tescoma