Fresh fruit chutneys make a delicious part of a balanced Ayurvedic meal. Not only do they add delicious flavor, but they also supply key nutrients and improve digestion. Fruit is highly praised in modern nutrition as well for its vitamin and mineral content, especially vitamins C and A, which makes them natural antioxidants that help protect the body from free radical damage.
Fresh fruit chutneys balance meals
According to Ayurveda, fruit is one of the most pure foods we can eat. Fruits enhance ojas, the finest by-product of digestion, considered in Ayurveda to be that which sustains life itself.
Fresh fruit chutneys add flavor to the meal, and help add a number of tastes—sometimes all six tastes that are recommended by Ayurveda to be included in every main meal. Spicy fruit chutney ingredients bring balance to mild dishes, while sweet chutneys bring balance to spicy dishes.
Types of chutney
There are two major types of fruit chutneys—fruit that has been cooked with spices, such as Cooked Apple Chutney and Baked Pear Chutney, or fresh fruit that has been mixed together raw with spices, such as Pomegranate Chutney.
Whether the fruit chutney recipes are cooked or fresh, it helps to stimulate agni (digestive fire). Most fruits can be used for making chutneys, including various berries and stoned fruits as well as dried fruits such as dates and raisins. However, melons are generally not used in traditional chutneys.
How to serve chutneys
Only a teaspoon or two of chutney is needed to enhance a meal. Chutneys can be served in a small bowl or directly on the plate with other foods. They can also be used for dipping with flatbreads or appetizers. Cooked chutneys can be made and stored in the refrigerator for several weeks if preserved properly.
Chutneys are a simple way to add flavor, nutrition, and balance to Ayurvedic meals. Prepared in advance, they add delicious flair to any meal at a moment's notice. For more Ayurvedic recipe ideas, head to the recipe blog.
