Bengali-Style Tomato Chutney

Served at Bengali banquets as well as with main meals, this chutney is also wonderful on hamburgers, serve dollops with fried chicken and roast lamb, use it as a spread for cheese sandwiches, grilled or other-wise. Keep it in the refrigerator.

Makes a generous 1½ cups

2 tablespoons olive, canola, or peanut oil
½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
½ teaspoon whole brown or yellow mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon whole fennel seeds
2 cups tomato puree, canned or homemade
1½ teaspoons very finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 cup sugar
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1¼ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons golden raisins (optional)

1. Pour the oil into a heavy, medium, stainless steel pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cumin and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, add the fennel seeds. A few seconds later, put in the tomato puree, ginger, vinegar, sugar pepper flakes, and salt.

2. Stir and bring to a simmer. Once bubbling, turn heat down to low and cook, uncovered, stirring now and then, for about 50 minutes. Add the raisins and cook another 10 minutes. The chutney should be thick and have a glazed appearance.

3. Put the chutney into a jar, allow to cool, and then screw the lid on and refrigerate.