A super simple and absolutely delicious appetizer – toasted baguette slices smeared with soft goat cheese and topped with my Indian-style Green Apple Chhunda relish. These little bites are a party in your mouth, offering a delightful combination of sweet, spicy, salty, and tangy flavors along with creamy and crispy textures. The perfect formula for entertaining during the holiday season.
As you might have read in one of my previous blog posts, we have a green Granny Smith apple tree in our yard. Every other year, we enjoy an excellent yield of slightly sweet, juicy, beautiful green apples from our apple tree that we harvest throughout fall, starting from late-summer through the early winter months.
I love creating recipes that showcase the fall season’s bounty from my garden through my signature concoctions. Fall is certainly the time for indulging in cozy flavors, and nothing captures the essence of autumn quite like my delightful signature concoction – a sweet and spicy relish made with the green apples that are at their peak during this season.
The green apples are very similar to the green mangoes, just not as tart as them but not too sweet either. So I love to use them up to put a modern spin on the classic Gujarati recipe – Chhunda/Chhundo, a spicy hot and sweet condiment that is traditionally made with green mangoes. Since the texture and the flavor of the green apples is very similar to the green mango, swapping them in the traditional relish recipe works extremely well!
I like doubling or tripling my recipe, making a large batch that I can store in the refrigerator for the entire duration of the season. It certainly comes in handy for breakfast or snack to go with methi theplas (Indian fenugreek flatbreads) or for making panini sandwiches for lunch. I also love to pull it out and serve with cheese and bread or crackers for casual wine nights or holiday gatherings.
the perfect bite
Aside from simply serving the chhunda on a cheese and charcuterie board, I love creating easy appetizers with it, like these Chhunda & Goat Cheese Crostini. A sweet and spicy relish over toasted baguette slices smeared with creamy, tangy goat cheese – sounds divine, doesn’t it?
This super simple yet absolutely delicious appetizer is versatile and perfect for various occasions. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party, celebrating a milestone, or enjoying a quiet evening at home with family and friends, Green Apple Chhunda and Goat Cheese Crostini, arranged on a stylish wooden board or a ceramic platter, add a touch of elegance and sophistication to any moment. The contrasting combination of colors, flavors, and textures enhances the overall experience.
wine pairings
No appetizer is complete without the perfect drink to pair with it. I personally enjoy a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or a buttery Chardonnay, but a dry Rosé or, for red wine enthusiasts, a fruity Cabernet Franc, all make excellent choices to accompany the sweet, spicy, salty, creamy, and tangy crostini bites. These pairings complement the flavors and enhancing the overall experience for your palate.
Hi I’m Vasanti
…and I ❤️cooking ‘n clicking!!
I share a modern take on Indian cuisine made using nontraditional techniques and ingredients, while staying true to its authenticity. You’ll also find classic recipes from my beloved Maharashtrian culture and heritage.
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