Dharitri Ganguly
Native Indian olives, jolpai/jalpai, bring an incredible, mouth-puckering tartness that makes the absolute best sweet-and-sour seasonal chutneys! Unlike Mediterranean table olives, these green stone fruits soften up beautifully when boiled and cooked down with sugar or jaggery, absorbing all those aromatic regional spices.
Ingredients: Indian olives, sugar or jaggery, mustard oil, panch phoron, whole dry red chili, turmeric powder, salt and bhaji moshla (roasted spice powder
Place the washed olives in a pressure cooker with enough water and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 2–3 whistles until they are completely tender. Once the pressure releases, drain the water, let them cool slightly, and gently mash them with a fork or the back of a spoon to discard the hard seeds (though some folks love keeping a few seeds intact to gnaw on later!)
Heat mustard oil in a pan until it smokes slightly and mellows down. Add the whole dry red chilies and panch phoron. Let them sizzle and release their aroma for a few seconds. Add the mashed olives, turmeric powder, and salt to the tempered oil. Sauté them on medium heat for about 3–4 minutes, allowing the fruit to absorb the spiced oil.
Pour in about 1 cup of water and bring it to a rolling boil. Stir in the sugar (or jaggery) until it completely dissolves and the mixture turns glossy and bubbling. Let the chutney simmer on low-to-medium heat until it reaches your desired thick, jammy consistency. The natural pectin in the olives will help it body up nicely.
Turn off the heat and sprinkle over the freshly roasted panch phoron and fennel powder. Give it one final stir. Serve it completely cooled as a stellar sweet-and-sour accompaniment, or pair it with crispy papads to complete a classic meal.
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