Quick and Easy Tomato Chutney

Chutneys or relishes are widely used in Indian cuisine. There are thousands of different varieties, both cooked and uncooked. They are typically used as a condiment and so versatile, they go well with any meal. I made the following cooked tomato chutney to serve with my Spicy Chickpea Koftas. Homemade chutneys will keep for a few days if stored in a covered container in the fridge.

Simple Tomato Chutney

2 tablespoons of ghee, or a mixture of butter and oil
3 - 4 whole dried red chillies
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
1 inch piece of cinnamon stick
1 2/3 cups of chopped ripe tomatoes (approximately 2 medium-sized tomatoes)
dash of ground ground coriander and cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons of rapadura sugar or sweetner of your choice
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over moderate heat. When hot, add the chillies, cumin seeds and cinnamon stick. Fry until the cumin seeds turn brown - approximately 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar and salt and the cayenne and coriander. Cook and stir until the chutney is fairly dry, about 10 - 15 minutes. Can be served warm, at room temperature or chilled.