Sweet Mango Chutney

The man credited with opening up The Kingdom of Nepal to foreign travelers, Boris Lissanevitch, opened the Royal Hotel in an abandoned palace in Kathmandu in 1955.*  In 2001, Boris’ widow held an estate sale where I was able to buy a couple of silver pieces from the restaurant. While the rhinoceros tusks are missing from these handles, this sugar bowl is a perfect way to serve Sweet Mango Chutney, a condiment that was - and no doubt still is - served in the restaurant there.


Ingredients:

1/3 cup distilled white vinegar

1 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt 

2 small shallots, minced

1 tablespoon grated ginger

(microplaner)

1/2 cup golden raisons

1/2 cup raisons

2 cups mangoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces

Directions:

1.  In a medium pot, bring the vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt to a boil.  Keep the heat at a low boil for 10 minutes.  Stir frequently.  

2.  Add the shallots, ginger and raisons to the pot and boil for about 15 minutes, or until almost all of the liquid is absorbed by the fruit.

3.  Add the mango and cook the mixture for another 15 minutes, or until the mango is softened.

4.  Taste for spices.  Serve warm, or cool and put in a glass container to store in the refrigerator.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups of chutney.

*For the definitive book on Boris and the Royal Hotel, see "Tiger for Breakfast" by Michel Peissel, Hodder and Stoughton, 1966.

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