This laungi style Cranberry Chutney, is lipsmackindekicious with its sweet, tangy & spiced flavors. Ready in just 15 minutes, and goes with everything. This is a quick way to elevate any spread.
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For the longest time, I only thought of cranberries as that wobbly holiday sauce, until I tried making them launji-style. Launji is my favorite North Indian sweet-sour chutney usually made with raw mango, and the moment I swapped in fresh cranberries, it just clicked. Now this cranberry chutney is my go-to. Sweet, tangy, lightly spiced, and ready in minutes, perfect with Indian meals, snacks, or even your holiday table.
Ingredient Notes
See recipe card for quantities & detailed ingredients.
- Cranberries - I have made this recipe using fresh and frozen cranberries. Fresh cranberries are best as they give the chutney a naturally tart, thick texture and vivid color. However frozen cranberries taste equally good.
- Whole Spices - Don't skip these as they add a depth of flavors and also some texture to the cranberry chutney.
- Sweetener - Sugar or Jaggery both work fine.
How to make Cranberry Chutney
- Heat oil in a pan on medium, then add fennel, mustard, nigella, and fenugreek seeds & let them sizzle and become fragrant.
- Add the optional ginger and green chilies , sauté for a minute until aromatic.
- Tip in the cranberries and water, then stir so they're coated in the spiced oil.
- Add red chili powder, salt, and sugar or jaggery& mix well.
- Let the mixture simmer on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until most berries have burst and the chutney thickens, about 10-12 minutes.
- Lightly mash with the back of a spoon if you like it smoother, or I leave some cranberries whole for texture.
- Taste and adjust: add more sugar if too tart, more chili for heat, or a splash of water if it gets too thick.
- Cool completely, transfer to a clean jar, and refrigerate; it thickens more as it cools and stays good for a couple months if stored in an air tight container.
Anvita's Top Tip
- For true launji vibes, I recommend don't skip fennel and a good amount of sugar, the sweet-sour-spiced balance is what makes it addictive.
- Cranberries are quite tart, so I always taste at the end and it's normal to adjust sugar more than you expect, just like with very sour raw mangoes in aam ki launji.
How to serve
- I like to spoon alongside pakoras, samosas, or kachoris as a sweet-spicy dip.
- My favorite way to enjoy Cranerry chutney is to serve it with paratha, thepla, or a simple dal-chawal meal to instantly make it feel special.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Result | How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too little sweetener | Chutney will be too tart | Add more jaggery or sugar to adjust the taste. |
| Skipping spice tempering | Chutney tastes flat, the spices are worth it. | Bloom whole spices in oil first. |
| High heat throughout | Chutney may stick or burn | Simmer gently and stir. |
Final Thoughts
This cranberry chutney honestly reminds me of the aam ki launji I grew up eating, just with a fun, seasonal twist. The cranberries give that same punchy tartness, and with fennel, cumin, and a good hit of sweetness, it turns into a chutney that works with almost everything on the table. Now, whenever cranberries are in season, I batch-make this launji-style chutney and stash a jar in the fridge for busy days.
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Authentic Indian Cranberry Chutney (Launji)
Servings:
servingsCalories:
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries or 12 oz bag
- 2 tablespoon oil neutral or ghee
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds saunf
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds rai
- ¼ teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds methi
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger optional
- 1 -2 whole red chilies
- ½ -¾ cup jaggery or sugar adjust to taste
- ½ -1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ -¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan on medium, then add fennel, mustard, nigella, and fenugreek seeds & let them sizzle and become fragrant.
- Add the optional ginger and green chilies , sauté for a minute until aromatic.
- Tip in the cranberries and water, then stir so they're coated in the spiced oil.
- Add red chili powder, salt, and sugar or jaggery & mix well.
- Let the mixture simmer on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until most berries have burst and the chutney thickens, about 10-12 minutes.
- Lightly mash with the back of a spoon if you like it smoother, or I leave some cranberries whole for texture.
- Taste and adjust: add more sugar if too tart, more chili for heat, or a splash of water if it gets too thick.
- Cool completely, transfer to a clean jar, and refrigerate; it thickens more as it cools and stays good for a couple months if stored in an air tight container.
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