Pear Chutney

Name: Pear Chutney
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 5 cups
Ingredients: 1 medium-size lemon; 1 3/4 pounds very firm Anjou pears; 1/2 pound onion (2 small onions), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; 4 slices peeled fresh ginger, about the size of a quarter; 4 cloves garlic, mashed and peeled; 2 dried chili peppers, ground in a spice grinder or 1 teaspoon chili powder without cumin; 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seed; 4 teaspoons mango powder; 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1/4 teaspoon tumeric; 1/4 teaspoon anise seed; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 cup walnut pieces; 1 can water chestnuts (8 ounces), left whole if small, halved if large; 2 additional tablespoons fresh lemon juice

By Barbara Kafka

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Total Time: 32 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Rating: 4(20)
Comments: Read comments

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Ingredients

Yield:5 cups

1medium-size lemon
1¾pounds very firm Anjou pears
½pound onion (2 small onions), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4slices peeled fresh ginger, about the size of a quarter
4cloves garlic, mashed and peeled
2dried chili peppers, ground in a spice grinder or 1 teaspoon chili powder without cumin
½teaspoon yellow mustard seed
4teaspoons mango powder
¼teaspoon ground cardamom
¼teaspoon tumeric
¼teaspoon anise seed
1teaspoon kosher salt
1¼cups packed light brown sugar
½teaspoon dried oregano
¼teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½cup walnut pieces
1can water chestnuts (8 ounces), left whole if small, halved if large
2additional tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 5 8-ounce or 10 4-ounce canning jars and their lids.
Step 2
Peel the zest from the lemon with a vegetable peeler and set aside. Squeeze the lemon. Place the juice in a large bowl. Peel pears, core them and cut into 1-inch to 2-inch chunks. Place in the bowl with lemon juice, toss to coat with the juice and reserve.
Step 3
Place the lemon zest, onion, ginger slices, and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor. Process until coarsely chopped. Scrape into a 2½-quart souffle dish. Add spices, salt and sugar. Cook, uncovered, in a 650- to 700-watt oven at 100 percent power for 5 minutes.
Step 4
Remove from oven and stir well. Add reserved pears with any lemon juice in the bottom of the bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except water chestnuts and additional lemon juice. Cover tightly with microwave-oven plastic wrap. Cook at 100 percent power for 10 minutes or until pears are tender when pierced with a knife.
Step 5
Leaving dish in oven, prick plastic to release steam and uncover. Stir in water chestnuts. Re-cover and cook at 100 percent power for 2 minutes.
Step 6
Remove from oven. Prick plastic to release steam and uncover. Stir in lemon juice and divide chutney among sterilized jars. Store, tightly covered and refrigerated, for up to six months.