CONDIMENT

LACTO-FERMENTED PEACH CHUTNEY

This recipe for spicy, fresh chutney is adapted from Full Moon Feast by Jessica Prentice (Chelsea Green, 2006). It can also be made with mangoes or unpeeled chopped tomatoes. It's great with roasted meats or Indian dishes.

To make yogurt whey, take 2 cups of live-culture whole milk yogurt and pour it into a colander or strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter and set it above a bowl or pot. Let drip for up to 8 hours in the refrigerator. The whey will be in the bowl and the yogurt in the cheesecloth can be used like cream cheese.

Sucanat and rapadura are both types of unrefined cane sugar that can be found at natural foods stores. Total time: 1 ½-2 ½ days.

• 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds

• ¼ cup boiling filtered water

• 8 to 10 peaches, peeled and cut into small dice (about 8 cups)

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds

• 2 teaspoons black or brown mustard seeds

• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

• 1 4-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

• 1 teaspoon powdered turmeric or one 1-inch piece fresh turmeric,peeled and grated

• 1 tablespoon Sucanat or rapadura (see Note)

• ¼ cup yogurt whey (see Note)

• 4 teaspoons sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Put the fenugreek seeds in a small bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let them soak overnight or for at least 6 hours.

Put the peach pieces in a large bowl. Drain the water from the fenugreek seeds and add the seeds to the peaches. Squeeze the lemon juice over the peaches.

In a small cast-iron skillet, toast the cumin, mustard and fennel seeds over medium heat until they begin to smell fragrant. Add the seeds to the peaches with the ginger, turmeric, Sucanat, yogurt whey, salt and cayenne. Stir thoroughly and taste. The mixture should be salty.

Transfer to a 2-quart jar and gently weigh down the top of the chutney so the liquid rises above the solids by filling a small, narrow jar with water and setting it inside the other jar so that it gently pushes the chutney down but allows the liquid to come to the top.

Ferment at room temperature at least overnight. If it is hot, 24 hours may be enough. If it is cool or just warm, ferment for 48 hours. Chutney can be eaten immediately or can be refrigerated for up to 1 month. Makes 1 quart.

Per 2 tablespoons: 25 calories, 0 protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 268 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.

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