Tomatoes are popular for their high amount of the anti-oxidant lycopene. Ayurveda is not a fan of tomatoes as they are very stimulating but considers their taste as sweet and sour. They aggravate Pitta in the digestive tract, but cool the blood. As long as you don't have a Histamine intolerance, you can place the tomatoes in boiling hot water and remove the skin and seeds. Then they are less offensive to your body.

Apricots, are a summer stone fruit that has anti inflammatory properties and can be used to relieve constipation.

Chutneys are very much part of the Ayurvedic diet. This chutney supports the Vata and Kapha constitutions but is very warming and hence disturbs the Pitta type. Use is small quantities in the height of the summer for all types. If bottled in season its wonderful for autumn and winter and spring.

Adapt for Pitta

Reduce ginger, garlic and apple cider vinegar. Add coriander seeds, fennel seeds, scraped coconut and maple syrup instead of coconut sugar. And add dried mint. Hence changing the properties of the chutney.

Serves 12

Ingredients

500 grams Cherry Tomatoes (Blanched skin removed and roughly chopped)

8 Fresh Apricots (Blanched skin and seed removed)

1 tbsp Raw Ginger Root (finely diced)

1 clove Garlic (Finely mashed)

1/2Green Chii Pepper (de-seeded and finely diced)

1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds

1 tsp Black Mustard Seeds

1/2 tsp Nigella Seeds (aka Kalonji)

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

1/2 tsp Fennel Seed

4 Black Peppercorns

1 tbsp Coconut Oil

1/2 cup Coconut Sugar (Or Jaggery. add more to taste)

1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions

Blanch the tomatoes, remove the skin and roughly chop them set aside. Blanch and remove the skin and seeds from the apricots. Meanwhile, prep all the other ingredients: Peel and chop the ginger, finely chop the chiles, Gather the spices.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add all the spices one by one allowing them to roast for a few seconds.Then add the ginger and garlic. Add the tomatoes and apricots mix everything for a few minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for half an hour stirring occasionally.

Finally add the coconut sugar or jaggery. Cook for another 15 minutes until the mixture starts to glisten. Take off the heat and let it cool before you pour it into a glass jar. Use within a week. If you want to keep it longer and have made multiple jars, keep in a cool dark place for at least three weeks before use.