Plum Chutney

Ingredients

• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 6 cardamom pods
• 1 cup dates, stoned and roughly chopped
• 3 pounds fresh plums, halved and stoned
• 2 red onions, finely chopped
• 2 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 pod star anise

Instructions

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Start by thinly slicing the peeled ginger, then cut again into thin matchsticks.
3. Place the cardamom pods into a pestle and lightly crack them and remove the seeds. Throw the shell away and crush the seeds.
4. Roughly chop the dates .
5. Place the ginger, crushed cardamom, and dates into a large, non-reactive saucepan.
6. Cut the plum halves into two and add to the pan with the onions, apples, vinegar, and sugar. Stir well.
7. Put the pan onto medium heat and stir until all the sugar dissolves. Add the cinnamon, ground ginger, and star anise. Stir again.
8. Let the chutney reach a gentle boil, then turn down the heat to low and continue to cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. During this time, keep an eye on the chutney, checking from time to time that it isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan. You do not have to stand over the pan, but do not leave it for too long in between stirs.
9. The chutney is ready when it has thickened, turned a delicious glossy dark brown. Remove from the heat and let it stand for 15 minutes before potting into hot sterilized jars . The chutney should go through a water bath canning process, and will keep for up to a year in a cool place, and it does not need to be refrigerated until opened.