Chutneys are a vinegar-based condiment that contain chopped fruits or vegetables, spices, sugar, and sometimes flavor enhancers such as garlic. Salsa, on the other hand, is a mix of fresh vegetables that includes tomatoes, onions, chilies, jalapeños, garlic, lemon juice, cilantro, and other herbs. Both are side dishes that are often used as dipping sauces. The main difference between salsa and chutney is that the sauce is made from raw vegetables and has chunks.
Chutney belongs to the condiment family and is somewhat similar to condiments. It is made by shredding a combination of fruits or vegetables. The history of chutney dates back to 500 BC in India. Around 1780, chutney began to gain popularity abroad, in Great Britain.
But English chutney tends to be different from Indian chutney. English-style chutney is usually made with vegetables and fruits, as well as with spices and sugar. It is often eaten with bread and cheese, while Indian chutney is eaten with fully cooked meals. This English version of chutney has a much thicker consistency than traditional hot sauce.
Nowadays, chutney can refer to just about anything that has been preserved in vinegar or sugar. Sauce is classified as a type of tomato-based sauce. Its flavor is usually somewhat spicy, with levels of spiciness that vary depending on the way it was made. The ingredients of the sauce are stricter than those of the chutney, usually with onion, pepper, cumin and coriander, in addition to the tomato base.
While chutney is almost always cooked, the sauce can be enjoyed raw or cooked. The main similarity between chutney and salsa is that both can be used as dipping sauces. The sauce is almost always spicy or sour, and the chutney is usually sweeter. The list of dishes that accompany the sauce is much shorter than that of those that go with chutney. Part of the reason for this is that chutney has multiple cultural adaptations, and salsa is more or less the same wherever you go. Chutney has a wide range of flavors in which it can be found or prepared, but the sauce always consists of pieces of tomato with different levels of added spices.
Another notable difference is that they come from two different parts of the world - Chutney originated in India and the sauce is native to Mexico. Chutneys are generally made with fruits, herbs, vegetables, or some combination of these. The three critical elements for most chutneys are a perfect balance between sweet, sour, and spicy - sweetness comes from the use of fresh fruit, nuts, or some other type of sugar; acidic element obtained by adding vinegar, lemon, lime or tamarind; and spicy taste when using dried or fresh chilies. Mango chutney is a popular chutney that combines sweet mango chunks with ginger, garlic, chili flakes, and vinegar.
