​Peach and Chili chutney

I love the colour combination of the ingredients

Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1-2 red onion, sliced
700g (prepared weight) firm peaches (7- 8), peeled and diced
3 thumb-sized red chilies, finely chopped (hot ones) or 6 mild
Thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks
1 tbsp cumin seed
Seeds from 10 cardamom pods
3 cloves
2 bay leaves
½ bunch basil and a bit of fresh mint - roughly shredded
150g brown sugar
200ml cider vinegar
salt

Method
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook for a few mins until starting to soften. Add the remaining ingredients (spices first if only to give you that wonderful blast of aroma as the spices cook), increase the heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the peaches have softened – this will take about 45 mins.
Transfer the chutney to hot jars, seal and leave to cool before eating. Makes about 1 L of chutney.
The chutney can be stored in a cool dry place for up to 1 year. Once opened, keep in the fridge and eat within 4 weeks.

Chock's note: I have kept it longer than 4 weeks in the fridge. It improves with age.
The chutney is not very hot but if you don't like any heat, reduce chilies to 1 or 2 sm.
I'd just give the cumin and cardamon seeds a tiny tap in the pestle to release a wee bit more flavour - but don't crush them as their wholeness is pretty in the jars.

​Peach Jam

Ingredients
1.1kg peaches (prepared fruit), firm ripe
550g white sugar
1/3 cup water
1 sm lemon
½ tsp chopped ginger
½ tsp tartaric acid

Method
Halve peaches and extract stones. Chop fruit roughly (I prefer chunks of fruit in my jam rather than a smooth puree).
Put fruit in a large stainless steel saucepan with a little of the water - you may not need to use it all - and bring slowly to a simmer until fruit is tender. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves.
Cut lemon into slivers (remove seeds) and add to pot. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly but with great care for about 15 minutes (until it starts to set when tested on a cold plate) - the ideal is a rolling boil that won't foam over. Take the pan off the heat immediately if this starts to happen.
Ladle into warm jars as fully as possible before sealing.
Makes ~1.5L jam

Chocks note: Invert jars immediately after sealing; this avoids the need to sterilise the lids.