Chutney, a fruit & spice relish, has its origins in Indian cuisine. The British, during their imperial phase, were rather taken by it. They consequently carried it with them in their travels popularizing chutney for people everywhere. As a condiment chutney was, for many years, most often associated strictly with spicy dishes and stronger cuts of meat. No more. Chutneys are used in every conceivable manner by daring, inventive cooks.

Incorporating a chutney into a seafood dish can be tricky. By design pretty much all chutneys carry a strong flavor. Any one of them can easily overpower rather than compliment. My rule of thumb is, if I am going for a light approach on the fish… say just a little lemon butter or such, I would eschew a chutney. If however, I am going to blacken or spice the exterior of the fish then game on for the chutney!

Recipe Ingredients

The Chutney

Fresh Pineapple – 1 Large, Chopped

Curry Powder – 3 Tbsp

Brown Sugar – 1 Cup

White Vinegar – 1 1/2 Cups

Fresh Ginger – 1/3 Cup

Orange Zest – From 1 Orange

Orange Juice – 1/2 Cup

Thai Chiles – 4 Seeded and Julianned

Fresh Garlic – 2 Tbsp Chopped

Red Onion – 1 Chopped Coarse

Raisins – 1/2 Cup

Oil – 3Tbsp Grapeseed oil

The Fish

Tuna – 2 6oz. Pieces

Cajun Seasoning – Sprinkled On Fish To Cover

Dill – Sprinkled On Fish To Cover

White Pepper – 1Tsp

Recipe Preparation

The Chutney

Here’s a look at most of the fixings for the chutney itself.

I a heated sauce pan, toast the curry powder and white pepper. Medium heat for a couple minutes. Keep the powder moving around to avoid burning.

Getting ready for the next step….

Add vinegar, orange juice, raisins and brown sugar to the toasted curry powder & white pepper. Bring to low boil and cook for 10- 15 minutes.

In a separate large sauce pan/pot heat the oil to just short of smoking, add the red onion and cook, stirring, on medium heat for 5 minutes.

When the red onion has turned translucent, add the garlic, Thai peppers and ginger. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes stirring frequently.

Add the pineapple and…..

the curry, white pepper, juice, vinegar mixture. Cook the entire mixture for 30 minutes. Cool before serving.

The Fish 

The Tuna is pretty straight forward. Coat the fish with an appropriate amount of cajun seasoning and dill. You may substiture seasonings here as desired. The point is to give the chutney something to work against. Not too strong. Not to light.

Sear the tuna on both sides in a hot iron skillet. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Plate the fish, chutney and sides up and enjoy.