Plum Kasundi - Indian Spiced Fruit Condiment Recipe

It's that time of year when you end up with bucket loads of plums! Whether it's from your tree or maybe your neighbor's, here's a brilliant recipe to use them all up, plum kasundi. This amazing Indian spiced condiment is sweet, tangy, and absolutely delicious. Using seasonal fruit is kind to your wallet because sometimes people are giving this stuff away. Once you've de-stoned your plums (that's the hardest bit!), it's incredibly simple to make. Perfect for preserving now and enjoying later in the year when plums are gone and you want reminding of summertime.

Recipe Details:

• Prep Time: 30 minutes (mostly de-stoning plums)
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Makes: About 6-8 jars (depending on jar size)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Special Equipment: Large heavy-bottomed pan, clean jars with lids

Kasundi is a traditional Indian condiment that's typically made with mangoes, but it works brilliantly with plums when they're abundant! It's sweet, tangy, spicy, and packed with aromatic spices. Think of it as a spiced fruit chutney that goes with absolutely everything, cheese, cold meats, curries, sandwiches, even just on toast. When plums are in season and you've got loads to use up, this is the perfect recipe.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Uses abundant plums: Perfect when you've got loads from trees or neighbors
• Preserves for months: Enjoy summer plums all year round
• Sweet, tangy, and spicy: Complex flavors from aromatic spices
• Incredibly versatile: Goes with cheese, meats, curries, sandwiches, and more
• Waste less, save money: Uses seasonal fruit when it's plentiful and cheap (or free!)
• Flexible recipe: Adapt the spices to what you have

Ingredients

For the Kasundi:

• 1,800g plums, de-stoned (weighed after removing stones)
• 100ml vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 2½ tablespoons cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons onion seeds (nigella seeds/kalonji)
• 150g fresh ginger, grated (optional - I didn't have it so left it out!)
• 1 diced onion
• 3 large garlic cloves, grated
• 288g sugar (about 1½ cups)
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• ½-1 tablespoon ground chilli powder (adjust to your heat preference)
• Optional: chilli flakes for extra heat
• 360ml vinegar (whatever you have - white wine, apple cider, or malt all work)
• 1½ tablespoons ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 black cardamom pod (or 4 green cardamom pods)
• 2 star anise

Instructions

1. De-stone the plums: This is the most time-consuming part! Cut your plums in half and remove the stones. Weigh them after de-stoning, you need 1,800g of prepared fruit. Save any plums that are a bit bruised or overripe for this, they're perfect for cooking down!

2. Heat the oil and temper the whole spices: Add the vegetable oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pan over low-medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, onion seeds (nigella), black cardamom pod, and star anise. Warm them gently until you can hear them popping and they smell fragrant. Keep the heat low - you don't want them to burn! This should take about 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the onion, garlic (and ginger if using): Add in your diced onion, cook for a minute or two. Add the grated garlic to the warm, fragrant oil (and grated ginger if you're using it). Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. It should smell really aromatic and wonderful! Don't let the garlic burn.

4. Add the ground spices: Add the ground turmeric, ground chilli powder, ground coriander, and chilli flakes if using. Stir well and cook for another minute to toast the spices. The mixture should be beautifully fragrant now.

5. Add everything else: Add the de-stoned plums, sugar, vinegar, and salt. Give it all a good stir.

6. Cook low and slow: Turn the heat to low-medium and cook for about 1 hour, stirring regularly to prevent it catching and burning on the bottom. The plums will break down and become jammy and thick. Stir more frequently towards the end as it thickens.

7. Check consistency: After about an 40 minutes to an hour, the kasundi should be thick and jammy. Remember it will thicken even more as it cools, so don't worry if it seems a bit loose, it'll firm up! The time depends on your plums, if they were very ripe they may be a little more juicy and you may want to cook it a little longer.

8. Taste and adjust: Give it a taste! Does it need more salt? Adjust as needed. This is your chance to make it perfect for your palate.

9. Bottle while hot: While the kasundi is still hot, ladle it into clean jars, filling them right to the top to minimize air. Immediately put the lids on tightly. The heat will create a vacuum seal as it cools.

10. Cool and store: Let the jars cool completely at room temperature. Once cool, store in a cool, dark place. Once opened, keep in the fridge.

Chef's Tips

De-stoning is the hardest part: Once that's done, the rest is easy! Put on some music or a podcast and work through those plums.

Use overripe plums: Slightly overripe, bruised, or soft plums are perfect for this. No waste!

Don't burn the spices: Keep the heat low when tempering the whole spices. Burnt spices taste bitter.

Stir regularly: Especially towards the end, stir frequently to prevent catching on the bottom.

It thickens as it cools: Don't worry if it looks a bit thin when hot, it firms up beautifully as it cools.

Clean jars: Your jars should be clean and dry (but don't need sterilizing like jam jars).

Fill to the top: Less air in the jar means better preservation.

Adjust spices to taste: This recipe is flexible! Use what you have and adjust to your preference.

No ginger? No problem: I didn't have fresh ginger so left it out, still delicious!

Make it your heat level: Start with ½ tablespoon chilli powder and add more if you like it spicy.

Substitutions & Variations

Different fruit: This works with apricots, peaches, or even mangoes (traditional kasundi uses mangoes!)

Vinegar options: Apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or malt vinegar all work brilliantly

More or less spice: Adjust the chilli powder to your preference - make it mild or fiery!

Add aromatics: Fresh curry leaves are a lovely addition if you have them

Brown sugar: Use brown sugar instead of white for a deeper, caramel flavor

Extra texture: Leave some plum chunks for a chunkier kasundi

Green cardamom: If you don't have black cardamom, use 4 green cardamom pods instead

How to Use Plum Kasundi

With cheese: Serve on a cheese board - it's incredible with sharp cheddar or creamy brie

With cold meats: Perfect alongside ham, turkey, or chicken

In sandwiches: Add a spoonful to elevate any sandwich or wrap

With curries: Serve as a side condiment with Indian dishes

On toast: Simply spread on toast with butter for a quick snack

With grilled meats: Delicious with BBQ chicken, lamb chops, or sausages

In wraps: Add to wraps or rolls for extra flavor

With eggs: Surprisingly good with scrambled or fried eggs!

As a glaze: Brush over roasted vegetables or meats

Storage & Shelf Life

Unopened jars: Store in a cool, dark place (cupboard or pantry) for up to 12 months. The vinegar and sugar preserve it beautifully.

Opened jars: Once opened, keep in the fridge and use within 3 months.

Signs it's still good: Should smell spicy and fruity, look glossy, and have no mold.

Signs it's gone bad: Mold on the surface, fizzing when opened, or off smell (very rare if stored properly).

Best after a few weeks: The flavors develop and mellow over time, so it actually gets better after a few weeks!

Perfect for gifting: Make extra jars to give as gifts, they look beautiful and taste amazing!

The Waste Less Connection

Making kasundi is brilliant for reducing food waste and saving money:

Uses abundant fruit: When plums are falling off trees and nobody wants them, preserve them!

Free or cheap ingredients: Often people are giving plums away, or they're very cheap when in season

Preserves for months: Enjoy them all year, not just during plum season

Uses imperfect fruit: Bruised, soft, or slightly overripe plums are perfect for cooking down

Prevents waste: Instead of plums rotting on the ground, turn them into something delicious

Saves buying condiments: Why buy expensive chutneys when you can make your own?

This is part of my "Waste Less, Cook Better" series using seasonal abundance, kitchen leftovers and everything in between! 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I have to use exactly these spices? A: No! This recipe is quite flexible. Use what you have and adjust to your taste. The key spices are mustard seeds, cumin, and turmeric.

Q: Can I use frozen plums? A: Yes! Frozen plums work brilliantly. No need to defrost, just add them straight to the pan.

Q: What if I don't have fresh ginger? A: I didn't have it either and left it out, still delicious! You could use ½ teaspoon ground ginger if you want that flavor.

Q: My kasundi is too thick. What should I do? A: Don't worry! Remember it should be quite thick, it's a chutney consistency.

Q: It's too thin. How do I fix it? A: Keep cooking it down, stirring regularly. It will thicken as it reduces and will thicken more as it cools.

Q: Can I make it less spicy? A: Absolutely! Start with ½ tablespoon chilli powder or leave it out completely for a mild version.

Q: What type of vinegar is best? A: Any! I've used white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and malt vinegar - all work great. Use what you have.

Q: Do I need to sterilize the jars? A: They should be clean and dry, but because you're filling them hot, you don't need to sterilize like you would for jam.

Q: How long does it keep? A: Unopened in a cool dark place, it keeps for up to a year! Once opened, refrigerate and use within 3 months.

You Might Also Like

Fruit Cheong (Korean Fermented Syrup) - Another brilliant way to preserve abundant seasonal fruit!

Beginner's Guide to Lacto Fermentation - More ways to preserve seasonal abundance using traditional methods.

Waste Less, Cook Better Series - Check out my full series on reducing food waste and saving money!

Enjoy!

Del x

Plum kasundi is such a brilliant way to use up abundant seasonal plums! This Indian spiced condiment is sweet, tangy, and absolutely delicious. Once you've de-stoned the plums (that's the hardest bit!), just temper your spices, add everything to the pan, and cook until thick and jammy. Bottle it up and enjoy summer plums all year round. Perfect for cheese boards, sandwiches, curries, and so much more!