Sweet, spicy and little tangy this Apple Chutney is versatile and good on so many things! It's easy to make in the Instant Pot and is also vegan.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cups
  • Category: Sides
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 5 medium apples (I used Gravenstein apples, around 600 grams, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces, around 3.5 cups chopped apples)
  • 1.5 tablespoons oil (22 ml, I used avocado oil)
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 medium white onion (95 grams, chopped)
  • 1 inch ginger (12 grams, chopped)
  • 3/4 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (80 ml)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (50 grams)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder (for color, optional, this chili powder is not hot)

Method

  1. First, peel the apples and then chop them in small pieces, around 1/4 inch pieces. Set aside. Press the saute button on the Instant Pot. Once it displays hot, add oil and then add cinnamon stick, cloves, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and mustard seeds. Let them sizzle for few seconds, the mustard seeds should pop.
  2. Then add the onion and ginger. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until onions are soft.
  3. Then add the chopped apples and mix.
  4. Add the garam masala, red chili powder and salt.
  5. Add apple cider vinegar and mix everything.
  6. Close the pot with the lid and press the manual or pressure cook button. Cook on high pressure for 2 minutes with the pressure valve in the sealing position. Let the pressure release naturally for 7 minutes and then do a quick pressure release. Open the pot and press saute.
  7. Add brown sugar, followed by kashmiri red chili powder and stir.
  8. Cover with a glass lid and let the chutney simmer on saute for 4 to 5 minutes, keep stirring it in between. It will thicken as it simmers. Unplug the pot once it has thickened to a paste like consistency.
  9. The chutney will continue to thicken as it cools. Let it cool and then store apple chutney in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Stove-top Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a pot on stove-top on medium heat. Once hot, add all the whole spices and let them sizzle. Then add the onions and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes until onions are soft. Add the apples, garam masala, red chili powder, salt and apple cider vinegar. Cover the pot with a lid and cook on medium heat until apples are soft, around 10 minutes. Then add sugar and kashmiri red chili powder and cook (uncovered) for 5 more minutes until excess moisture dried out and chutney becomes thick. Remove pan from heat, let chutney cool down and then store in an airtight container.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.