What causes mustard chutney to become watery after a day?

Question

Learn what causes your homemade mustard chutney to separate and become watery after being stored in the fridge for a day.

Answer 1

Mustard chutney becomes watery due to the release of moisture from the ingredients, particularly vegetables like tomatoes or cucumbers, and the breakdown of cell structures over time. Salt also draws out water.

Detailed Explanation:

Mustard chutney, like many homemade condiments, is susceptible to changes in texture over time. Several factors contribute to it becoming watery:

1. Osmosis and Salt: Salt is a common ingredient in chutney recipes. Salt draws water out of the vegetables through osmosis. This process continues even after the chutney is prepared, leading to increased liquid separation.

2. Vegetable Breakdown: Vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, or onions contain a high percentage of water. As they sit in the chutney, their cell walls begin to break down, releasing more of this water into the mixture. This is accelerated by the acidity of the chutney.

3. Lack of Binding Agent: Unlike some sauces that use thickeners like cornstarch or flour, mustard chutney typically relies on the natural consistency of its ingredients. Without a binding agent, the liquid has nothing to hold onto, causing it to separate.

4. Fermentation: In some cases, especially if the chutney contains fruit or sugar, slight fermentation can occur. This process produces water as a byproduct, further contributing to the watery consistency.

Pro Tip:

To minimize wateriness, consider lightly salting and draining vegetables like cucumbers or tomatoes before adding them to the chutney. This helps remove excess moisture beforehand. You can also add a small amount of roasted and ground chickpea flour (besan) as a natural thickening agent.