Chittagong Petal Chalta Chaṭnī

Name: Chittagong Petal Chalta Chaṭnī
Total time: 1200 s
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 elephant apple; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tsps mustard oil; 0.5 tbsp panch phoran; 1 small piece of ginger, minced; 1 small sprig (10) curry leaves; 2-3 dried red chillies; 50 g jaggery; Small piece fresh turmeric or ¼ tsp turmeric powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp mustard seeds; 1 1/2-2 cups water; To serve: shredded coconut (optional)

Laura @FeelBetter

Milton Keynes, England

The Chittagong Hill Tracts are located in the south east of Bangladesh. Here lies a semi-tropical forest where ouu trees thrive in deep soil in a humid atmosphere. Their fruit, known in Bangladesh as chalta, is a favourite of wild Asian elephants found roaming these magical, hilly tracts - hence it is also known as elephant apple. It is a large fruit, resembling a cooking apple but with petals surrounding an inner core of sepals.

Panch phoran which means ‘five flavours’ is a beautiful floral spice and consists of cumin (jeera), black mustard (rai), nigella (kalonji), fennel (saunf) and fenugreek (methi) seeds. It differs from other spices as the spices are used whole, usually in equal quantities. Its origin is unknown but five is an important number and five spices are often combined in Indian and Bengali cuisine.

Pancha Bhoota, the basic five elements; fire, water, air, earth and ether, are believed to be the basis of creation by Hindus. The five pillars; professing one’s faith, praying five times a day, giving zakat, fasting and making a pilgrimage are followed by Muslims. The five precepts are a code of conduct or rules that help people behave in a moral and ethical way and followed by Buddhists.

Chutney (chaṭnī) derives from chāṭnā 'to lick' or 'to eat with appetite’. This chutney combines elephant apples with panch phoran, turmeric, chilli and gud (jaggery) and is served with shredded coconut and rice.

Laura @FeelBetter

Milton Keynes, England

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Ingredients

20 minutes

4 servings

1elephant apple
1 tbsplemon juice
2tsps mustard oil
0.5 tbsppanch phoran
1small piece of ginger, minced
1small sprig (10) curry leaves
2-3dried red chillies
50 gjaggery
Small piece fresh turmeric or ¼ tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tspsalt
1/2 tspmustard seeds
1 1/2-2 cupswater
To serve: shredded coconut (optional)

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Steps

20 minutes

1

Cut the petals from the elephant apple, discarding the inner part, peel and slice and wash in water. Leave to soak in water with the lemon juice for 20 minutes. Drain.
2

Heat oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add panch phoran and let it splutter. Add ginger, curry leaves and red chilies and fry for 2 minutes. Add the elephant apple petals, turmeric and salt, stirring it until becomes light brown in colour.
3

Make a paste with the mustard seeds and a tablespoon of water and then add it to the elephant apples with the rest of the water and jaggery. Cover the pan and cook over a medium heat until the elephant apple is soft.
4

Garnish with shredded coconut before serving as a side dish with rice.