The Difference Between Chutney And Sauce (2024)

Katy Canada

·3-min read

Condiments can transform your meal from basic and boring to flavorful and fantastic. The proof is in ketchup's ability to awaken a french fry to its fullest potential. Most cultures have some form of a ubiquitous condiment that gets slathered on pretty much everything.For example, in India, you're unlikely to eat a meal without a serving of chutneyon the side.Chutneyis a sauce made with fruits and vegetables that often has a relish-like consistency.

Just as you're likely to see ketchup and mustard on the table at diners and other restaurants in the United States, you're likely to receive a variety of chutneys to accompany your meal at Indian restaurants. Chutney recipes and flavors vary from state to state in India, and many households have their own version of this condiment, too. While chutney has some of the same applications as many sauces, there are some important distinctions between the two.

Read more: 12 Little-Known Facts About Salt

What Is Chutney?

The history of chutney is as rich and complex as its flavor. References to this Indian condiment can be traced back to 500 B.C. in Sanskrit literature. Chutney was developed to preserve fresh fruits and vegetables, allowing people to eat them outside their growing seasons.

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Today, most chutneys have a fruit base, but it's common to find vegetables and other ingredients -- such as herbs -- in them.Furthermore, the flavor profiles of chutneys are diverse; they can taste sweet, spicy, or savory. There are hundreds of possible flavors to put in chutneys, but some commonly found options includemango chutney, mint chutney, coconut chutney, and tomato chutney. They're also versatile: Chutney makes a delicious addition to a cheese board or a flavorful marinade or condiment for pork, beef, and chicken.

The texture of this condiment is what primarily distinguishes it from a sauce. Because it is made from slow-cooking fruits and vegetables, chutney often has a chunky yet spreadable consistency and is created similarly to jam. Sauce, on the other hand, is typically much thinner.

What Is Sauce?

The Difference Between Chutney And Sauce (3)

Sauces and chutneys are more or less prepared the same way, but sauce typically gets strained or blended to smooth out its texture. Compared to chutney, a sauce has a runny consistency. Based on itsdefinition,a sauce is a liquid (or mostly liquid) blend of ingredients that are made to accompany food.

Like chutney, sauce is a broad term with numerous recipes ranging from sweet to savory to spicy. A sauce also serves the similar purpose of supercharging recipes with flavor. For example, you can use a sauce as a dip, condiment, spread, or vessel for other ingredients. Just as there are certain widespread chutney flavors in India, French cooking specifies five sauces, known as the "mother sauces," which are considered essential culinary knowledge. Mastering this list is the secret to making incredible sauces. Many cooks believe the mother sauces —béchamel, Hollandaise, velouté, Espagnole, and tomato — are the foundation of all other sauces.

Read the original article on Mashed.

The Difference Between Chutney And Sauce (2024)

FAQs

The Difference Between Chutney And Sauce? ›

The texture of this condiment is what primarily distinguishes it from a sauce. Because it is made from slow-cooking fruits and vegetables, chutney often has a chunky yet spreadable consistency and is created similarly to jam. Sauce, on the other hand, is typically much thinner.

What makes something a chutney? ›

Chutney is a savory condiment made from slow-cooked fruits or vegetables, vinegar, and spices. Originating from India, chutneys have traveled the globe, and every country has its own take on this versatile condiment. Chutneys from South Africa often include apricots, while British chutneys favor using apples.

What do Americans call chutney? ›

Stateside, chutneys are somewhere between a jam, a relish, and a jelly, but in India, that's just the tip of the chutney iceberg.

What's the difference between ketchup sauce and chutney? ›

Ketchup is a tomato-and-vinegar based thick, pureed sauce. Chutneys are usually very thick sauces that contain pieces of fruit and/or vegetables instead of all being pureed together. There are some food and sauce combinations that are generally popular, but any of them can be used according to personal taste.

Is chutney a gravy? ›

Chutney is a condiment (Also referred to as a sauce, which is handmade and crafted with various ingredients) used to add flavour to food. Unlike your traditional sauces, chutney is made of chopped fruits, vinegar and spices that are cooked into a chutney spread.

What is a chutney vs sauce? ›

The texture of this condiment is what primarily distinguishes it from a sauce. Because it is made from slow-cooking fruits and vegetables, chutney often has a chunky yet spreadable consistency and is created similarly to jam. Sauce, on the other hand, is typically much thinner.

Why is it called chutney? ›

The word chutney derives from Hindi चटनी chaṭnī, deriving from चाटना chāṭnā 'to lick' or 'to eat with appetite'. In India, chutney refers to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately; however, several Indian languages use the word for fresh preparations only.

Is chutney served warm or cold? ›

Typically, you would serve chutney when it has been set to room temperature, this is where the condiment is the best performing. We now know that chutney does work well with hot food, but pairing it with cold food can satisfy pretty much anyone.

What do you eat chutney on? ›

Chutney works best in beef or ham sandwiches, however, they also work perfectly well in a salad sandwich. Cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, and horseradish with a spread of chutney will definitely make your customers coming back for more. There's nothing nicer than dining out on a Sunday with your family and friends.

Is relish the same as chutney? ›

Relishes, on the other hand, are cooked for a shorter time, with the resultant relish chunkier and more sharply flavoured than a chutney. Some people argue that a chutney will always contain mainly fruit or a mixture of fruits, and relishes are generally made of vegetables, and usually one variety.

What is a chutney vs jam? ›

Both a jam and a chutney will contain sugar, although a jam would be much sweeter, with the chutney having a more acidic, tangy flavour from the addition of vinegar. To preserve a chutney a combination of vinegar and sugar are used, whilst in a jam it is the sugar alone which acts as the preserving agent.

What is a substitute for chutney? ›

Raisin: Substituting for chutney with raisins, which impart natural sweetness and texture, is effective especially in baked goods or grain dishes. Apple: Grated or cooked apples, with their inherent sweet and slightly tart flavor, can be used as a substitute in recipes where chutney's complex taste is essential.

Is Salsa a type of chutney? ›

Chutneys are a vinegar based condiment. They contain chopped fruit or vegetables, spices, sugar and sometimes flavor enhancers such as garlic. Salsa, on the other hand, is a mixture of fresh vegetables including tomatoes, onions, chili peppers, jalapeño peppers, garlic, lime juice, cilantro and other herbs.

What is chutney called in America? ›

Relish. Chutney and relish are two popular condiments, and the names are often interchanged. The confusion is understandable because chutneys can be savory, and relishes can be sweet. In general, chutneys have a chunky spreadable consistency much like a preserve and are usually made with fruit.

What is chutney called in English? ›

noun. , plural chut·neys. a sauce or relish of East Indian origin, often compounded of both sweet and sour ingredients, as fruits and herbs, with spices and other seasoning.

Is chutney smooth or chunky? ›

Chutneys can vary from chunky to smooth in texture and from mild to hot in flavor. Chutney usually has a saucier texture than relish or salsa.

What's the difference between a relish and a chutney? ›

Relishes, on the other hand, are cooked for a shorter time, with the resultant relish chunkier and more sharply flavoured than a chutney. Some people argue that a chutney will always contain mainly fruit or a mixture of fruits, and relishes are generally made of vegetables, and usually one variety.

What makes chutney different from jam? ›

Both a jam and a chutney will contain sugar, although a jam would be much sweeter, with the chutney having a more acidic, tangy flavour from the addition of vinegar. To preserve a chutney a combination of vinegar and sugar are used, whilst in a jam it is the sugar alone which acts as the preserving agent.

What is the concept of chutney? ›

chutney, relish that accompanies an Indian meal. Chutneys may be highly spiced or bland and may be prepared from fruits, vegetables, yogurt, peanuts, or herbs. Popular fruit-based chutneys include those made with coconut or mango, while cucumbers and tomatoes are popular in vegetable-based chutneys.

What is the difference between a compote and a chutney? ›

Chutney: A cooked combination of fruit, vinegar, sugar, and spices. Ketchup is a type of chutney. Compote: Fresh or dried fruits that have been slowly cooked in a sugar syrup.

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