Caramelised Onion Chutney Recipe | This Little Home (2024)

FAQs

What are some tricks to caramelizing onions? ›

It takes time, probably a solid 45 minutes, for the onions' sugars to caramelize. If your heat is too high, the onions will burn. Heat your pan over medium-low, then add your onions. Keep it on that temp for the whole process.

This is unfortunately not a caramelized onion chutney, which contains vinegar so is a little too sour, but is often sold as caramelized onion marmalade. In the UK there are a few companies that produce onion marmalade (see links below) and it can be bought on-line and in some supermarkets or delicatessens.

You can caramelize any kind of onion, but yellow or Spanish onions tend to offer the most balanced-sweet-savory flavor profile and are the most versatile for different dishes. Sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla work too, but keep in mind that their flavor will become even sweeter once caramelized.

Chutneys are ideal to be used alongside curry dishes. Fruit and onion based chutneys add amazing flavours to Indian dishes, especially to the side of a fiery Mandra Curry! There's nothing nicer than indulging in some cheese and biscuits with a spoonful of chutney to dip them into.

Our Test Kitchen likes to use butter when caramelizing onions, as it offers the richest flavor. If you avoid dairy or don't have butter, you can caramelize onions in other fat such as margarine or olive oil. Add the onion slices. It's okay if they overlap a bit here because they'll shrink as they cook down.

Tip: use apple cider vinegar for white and yellow onions and balsamic vinegar for red onions. Tip: the vinegar serves to deglaze the pan, adds acidity, and brings this recipe together by boosting the tangy and savory flavors of the caramelized onions. If the onions stick to the pan, that's fine.

Spoon the hot chutney into cooled, sterilised jars*, then seal and label. The chutney will keep for up to 6-12 months.

Chutney has a much smoother consistency when compared to a Relish. Next we have relishes which are an altogether western world creation which have a much thicker, chunkier consistency. Relishes probably originated in the USA as an accompaniment to BBQ meats and hotdogs etc.

Some people say that the difference is on whether the ingredients have been crushed together or boiled. Others say it's about whether or not the onions are 'sweated'. Whether you call it one or the other, we can agree that the end result is delicious no matter what.

If you cover the pan, you'll trap steam, which will speed up their softening, heat them more quickly, and help release their liquid more quickly. Lift the lid a few times during this stage to give them a stir and make sure nothing is browning yet.

Do you add sugar to caramelize onions? ›

If you need to caramelize onions quickly, adding sugar or a pinch of baking soda (to raise the pH level and help them brown quicker) can help to speed up the caramelization process but truly they aren't a dish that cooks up quickly. If using baking soda I'd suggest about 1/4 tsp per pound of raw onions.

Caramelizing vs Sweating

Funnily enough, you do actually need to sweat your onions to get to the caramelization process! Sweating your onions, or any food really, simply means to cook out the water content. So for onions, you'll sweat them out and they'll turn translucent but they'll still keep their integrity.

(ˈtʃʌtni) noun. a sauce or relish of Asian origin, often compounded of both sweet and sour ingredients, as fruits and herbs, with spices and other seasoning. Also: chutnee.

Onion chutney: This savoury chutney made with caramelised onions and spices is a great match for blue cheese, or any cheese with a strong, pungent flavour. Quince paste: This sweet paste made from quince fruit is a traditional pairing for hard, salty cheeses like manchego or aged cheddar.

To avoid bitterness, the tamarind and spice must be balanced. You can first grind red chillies and then add onion to grind it coarsely. This will avoid bitter taste if at all you have that problem. Less water for Khatti (thick) chutney, add only if it's necessary to run your mixie.

Absolutely. An earlier version of this recipe suggested using sugar and baking soda for even faster results.

Not cooking the onions long enough.

It might be tempting to pull the onions off the stove as soon as they start to soften and turn golden-brown, but resist the urge. They're not completely cooked yet — they need more time. Caramelized onions should be far darker than golden in color.