You’ll love my Indian-style Cranberry Chutney that’s irresistibly sweet and has a hum of spice from dried red chillies and ginger. I make it on the stove, using fresh cranberries, in less than 10 minutes.
Quick, easy & dangerously tasty!
Upgrade your Thanksgiving table with this spicy cranberry chutney and a variety of Indian vegetarian thanksgiving recipes !
I have to say, we’re not really a dip household but if there’s one (ritual) that I take from American cuisine – it’s cranberry dips! As soon as fresh cranberries are available in our supermarkets, I’m busy making cranberry whipped feta dip and cranberry jalapeno cream cheese dip .
My Mum likes to experiment with fruit chutneys adding a desi twist – saffron apple chutney and carrot, cardamom tomato chutney – and she made a variation of this cranberry one almost 2 decades ago!
The sweet and savoury flavour goes great with an appetizer like samosa tart and is equally a side for this stuffed butternut squash centrepiece . Leftovers can be scooped up with paratha or palak puri .
Serve it on Christmas day with this stunning paneer nut roast .
The Recipe Details & Ingredients
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
The recipe itself is simple. Start with a tempering of panch phoran (more on that below) + red chillies, then tip in cranberries, ginger, sugar, salt and water. Fresh cranberries will cook down in less than 5 minutes. Then you just need to let it cool and thicken.
I’ve kept my version of cranberry chutney a little on the looser side, not jam-like in consistency. I don’t completely cook away all the moisture, so don’t expect it to last in the fridge for weeks! For that version, check out my Instant Pot cranberry sauce .
Onto the ingredients ..
Cranberries – I’ve used a 250 grams punnet of fresh cranberries and it made around 350 grams of cranberry chutney. You can absolutely use frozen here – you may just need a little less water.
Panch phoran – the classic Indian pickling spice. It’s made from 5 different spices that when tempered will bloom and release the most incredible aroma. It’s available from most supermarkets in the Indian food aisle. If you cannot find it, use a mix of mustard seeds, cumin seeds and kalonji at least.
Dried red chillies – when added to the tempering release a warm heat and add spice.
Ginger – fresh grated ginger is key here. Grated ginger releases juices which fragrance the syrup. You could sub in ginger powder at a pinch, it will taste a little different though.
Brown sugar – I like the earthiness from brown sugar but you can use white sugar if that’s what you have to hand.
Storage
Store cranberry chutney in an airtight container and store in the fridge as soon as it cools to room temperature. It will keep well for up to 1 week.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Cranberry Chutney
Ingredients
- 250 gram cranberries fresh
- 150 gram brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon panch phoran
- 2 dried red chilli
- 1 teaspoon ginger fresh, grated
- salt
- 250 millilitres water
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 teaspoon panch phoran and 2 dried red chilli .
- As soon as the panch phoran crackles, add 250 gram cranberries , 1 teaspoon ginger , and stir for a few seconds.
- Tip in 150 gram brown sugar and salt to taste. Mix well and pour over 250 millilitres water .
- Once the water comes to a boil, cover with a lid and cook on medium-high heat for around 5 minutes or until the cranberries are mushy and you get a syrup consistency.
- Switch off from the heat and allow to cool completely. The chutney will thicken as it cools.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Cranberry Chutney
Ingredients
- 250 gram cranberries fresh
- 150 gram brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon panch phoran
- 2 dried red chilli
- 1 teaspoon ginger fresh, grated
- salt
- 250 millilitres water
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 teaspoon panch phoran and 2 dried red chilli .
- As soon as the panch phoran crackles, add 250 gram cranberries , 1 teaspoon ginger , and stir for a few seconds.
- Tip in 150 gram brown sugar and salt to taste. Mix well and pour over 250 millilitres water .
- Once the water comes to a boil, cover with a lid and cook on medium-high heat for around 5 minutes or until the cranberries are mushy and you get a syrup consistency.
- Switch off from the heat and allow to cool completely. The chutney will thicken as it cools.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Katlu (Katlu Pak) is a wholesome Gujarati sweet made with whole wheat flour, ghee, jaggery and katlu powder – a mix of 32 herbs and spices. It’s traditionally prepared in the winter months.
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published November 2018. I’ve added new images and helpful content, the recipe remains the same.
The first memory I have of katlu is as a younger kid. My Mum had prepared a batch for her and my Dad. I took a large bite thinking it would be super sweet like peanut chikki . Oh was I wrong! It had a strong, slightly bitter flavour. My Mum then explained all the different ingredients and that its usually a sweet that adults eat.
My Grandma would make katlu every winter and it’s her recipe that my Mum, and now I, follow to this day. In Gujarati households around the world, you’ll also find it’s prepared for new mothers.
Can be served with a glass of milk – one piece daily in the morning.
Similar winter preparations are Gujarati gundar pak and North Indian pinni (aata ladoo) – both of which are made with lots of ghee, nuts, seeds and jaggery.
Ingredients notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Whole wheat flour – basically any chapati flour works here.
Gundar – aka edible gum which is available in any Indian grocery store or online.
Ghee – I like to use homemade desi ghee , but shop-bought works well too. To keep this dairy-free, you can use dairy free butter or vegetable ghee (check it’s vegan).
Jaggery – my recommendation for the best tasting sweets is to use freshly bought jaggery.
Spices & herbs – katlu is made with katlu powder, also sold as batrisu as it’s a mix 32 different herbs and spices. You also need extra methi powder. For flavouring, I’ve used cardamom and nutmeg powder.
Nuts – I use a mix of almonds, pistachios, cashew nuts and walnuts. Use whichever nuts you have to hand.
Coconut – I’ve used desiccated coconut in the katlu pak and shredded coconut as a garnish.
Poppy seeds – specifically white poppy seeds.
Raisins
Storage
Katlu can be stored for up to four weeks in an air tight container at room temprature.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Katlu
Ingredients
- 500 grams whole wheat flour
- 750 grams desi ghee used separately, see the method.
- 750 grams jaggery grated
- 250 grams methi powder
- 250 grams edible gum Gond or Gundar
- 200 grams katlu powder Batrisu powder
- 150 grams desiccated coconut lightly roasted
- 300 grams mixed nuts lightly roasted
- 100 grams poppy seeds
- 100 grams raisins
- 1 tablespoon cardamom powder
- 1 tablespoon nutmeg powder
Instructions
- The night before, mix together 250g ghee and methi powder. Allow this mix to rest over night.
- The next day, you can begin making the katlu.
- In a big, wide plate – mix together the mixed nuts, raisins, cardamom, nutmeg, desiccated coconut, poppy seeds and katlu powder.
- Heat about 100g ghee in a kadai, and pan-fry the gundar. Once it sizzles, remove from the pan and add to the mix from the step above.
- In the same pan, heat 250g ghee on low heat and add the whole wheat flour. Gently toast until the whole wheat flour until it has roasted and changed colour. This step can take up to 15 minutes. Keep the heat low and stir at all times.
- Transfer the toasted flour to the mix from earlier and add the soaked methi powder mixture immediately too. Mix well.
- Now heat the remaining ghee in the same pan, and add jaggery. Heat gently until the jaggery has melted then remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile keep a greased tray or thali next to you.
- Pour jaggery syrup on the prepared flour mixture and quickly mix.
- Transfer katlu mix in the greased tray and spread evenly. Work fast as this mixture will set quickly.
- Sprinkle slivers of nuts and coconut shreds (optional). Let it cool until just warm and almost room temperature. Then, cut into squares with a sharp knife.
- Once totally cooled, store in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
