Carrot Tamarind Chutney
Makes: 2 cups (500 mL) ❚ 1 tbsp (15 mL) refined coconut oil ❚ 1 medium onion, chopped ❚ 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt ❚ 3 garlic cloves, smashed ❚ 1/2 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped, or 1 tbsp (15 mL) habanero or Scotch bonnet hot sauce ❚ 2 medium carrots, chopped ❚ 3 tbsp (45 mL) tamarind paste/ concentrate ❚ 1 tbsp (15 mL) agave nectar ❚ 3/4 cup (180 mL) stock
1. In a medium pot on medium-heat, melt coconut oil. Add onions and salt and cook until onions are translucent.
2. Add garlic, habanero peppers and carrots and cook for another 2 minutes, until carrots are softened. Add tamarind, agave, and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. In a food processor or blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Take care when blending hot liquids. Store in a well-sealed glass container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
4. Note on stock: Anderson saves the ends of chopped onions, remains of roasted garlic bulbs, carrots, leeks or celery as well as mushroom and parsley stems into a one-gallon (3.8-l) freezer bag and stores it in the freezer. When the bag is full, she is ready to make stock: In a large soup pot on medium-high, she heats olive oil, then adds the contents of the stock bag — straight from the freezer and sautés the vegetables until they soften, about 10 minutes. Then she adds ¼ cup (60 mL) dry white wine or 2 tbsp (30 mL) white wine vinegar and cooks for 5 more minutes. Then she adds 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 of fresh rosemary, ½ tsp (2.5 mL) coriander seeds, 3 bay leaves, 3 tsp (15 mL) salt, a tablespoon of whole peppercorns and 12 cups (3 l) of water and brings it all to a boil.
Once it boils, she reduces the heat and simmers for 2 hours, until stock is reduced by half. Let cool completely, even overnight. Then strain out vegetables, herbs and peppercorns with a fine mesh strainer. If not using right away, freeze in ice cube trays and then store frozen cubes in a freezer bag. When making soup from it, add water to the concentrated stock: ¼ cup (60 mL) water for each cube of stock.