Apricot Chutney

It is getting really cold here in spite of my protestations that winter in Pune is non existent and equivalent to a Meditteranean summer. Actually Delhi temperatures are now some degrees below 0. And that affects us too even though we are a 1000 miles away.
So one thinks of soups and stews and slow cooked meats with thick gravies. With that sort of food there is nothing like a good, piquant chutney and what better than this one made from a recipe given to me by my mother. It is made with dried fruits and raisins. It cooks up really fast in a pressure cooker the use of which Id suggest for several chutneys.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried apricots
• 4 cups raisins
• 4 large onions chopped
• 1 1/4 pints vinegar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tsps lal mirchi /red chilli powder
• 2 tbsp ginger, ground
• 1/2 tbsp dhania/ coriander powder
• 4 cups sugar
• 2 tbsp mustard , prepared.

Soak the apricots in boiling hot water for an hour.

Chop the onions and put into a pressure cooker. Add the vinegar and simmer in the uncovered cooker for 10 minutes.
Now add the apricots, raisins, salt, chilli powder, ground ginger and coriander.Remember to check that the cooker is not more than half full. Bring to high pressure ( the whistling stage), reduce heat a bit and cook for 20 minutes.
Take off the fire and allow the cooker to come back to room temperature before opening the lid. Stir in the sugar and mustard. Put the cooker back on a low fire and cook till sugar dissolves, then boil till the chutney had thickened to the right consistency. Stir it frequently in between. Check the seasoning. Bottle while hot in sterilised jars. Fill the jars upto 1/2 inch from the top. Cover while still hot. This keeps well for at least three months.