Pickles & ferment bases
Blatjang
Blatjang · A traditional South African Cape Malay sweet-sour-spicy fruit condiment built on dried apricots, sultanas, onion, vinegar, sugar and chilli. Originally a Javanese fermented shrimp paste ('sambal blachang') imported to the Cape, it was progressively transformed into the dried-fruit chutney known today as the pride of Cape Malay cuisine.
The formula
450 g dried fruit (apricots + sultanas) : 1 onion : vinegar to cover : sugar to taste
Dried fruit is roughly 3 parts apricots to 1 part sultanas by volume; vinegar must fully cover solids to ensure safe preservation and balanced acidity.
Identity
- South African Cape Malay origin
- Sweet–sour–spicy trifecta (bitingly spicy, pungently aromatic, moderately smooth — C. Louis Leipoldt)
- Vinegar-preserved; long shelf life up to one year
- Descended from Javanese sambal blachang, originally a sun-dried prawn paste
- Routinely served with bobotie and braaied (grilled) meats
- Sterilised and bottled in screw-top glass jars for ambient storage
Ingredients
| Base | dried apricots | Provides body, pectin and the dominant sweet-fruity backbone |
| Base | sultanas (or raisins) | Adds deep caramelised sweetness and rounds the apricot acidity |
| Aromatics | onion, finely chopped | Aromatic base; softens into the vinegar to give pungency |
| Acid | vinegar (sherry, apple cider, or white wine) | Preserving acid and tangy counterpoint; must cover solids |
| Sweetener | brown sugar (to taste) | Balances the vinegar; depth from the molasses in brown sugar |
| Seasoning | salt | Heightens fruit and lifts the chilli |
| Flavor | dried chilli flakes (or fresh red chilli) | Provides the 'bitingly spicy' character — adjustable to taste |
Method
- 1Chop dried apricots and combine with sultanas, chopped onion and vinegar in a heavy pot; soak briefly to begin rehydration.Maceration softens the fruit evenly so it cooks down to a uniform jam-like texture rather than turning leathery.
- 2Add sugar, salt, chilli and any ground spices (ginger, coriander, mustard seed); bring slowly to a simmer.Dissolving the sugar before a rolling boil prevents scorching and lets the spices release their volatile oils gently.
- 3Simmer uncovered on low heat for 40–90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and glossy.Long, gentle reduction concentrates flavour, drives off raw vinegar bite, and produces a spoon-coating consistency that keeps well.
- 4Sterilise glass jars and screw-top lids by boiling for 10 minutes; keep hot until filling.Sterile, warm jars prevent thermal-shock cracking and ensure a safe ambient shelf life of up to a year.
- 5Ladle hot blatjang into the hot jars, seal, and invert briefly to sterilise the lid; cool, label and store in a cool dark place.Hot-fill with a sealed lid creates a partial vacuum and a stable preserving environment once opened and refrigerated.
Techniques that matter
Maceration in vinegar
Pre-softens dense dried fruit so it breaks down evenly during the long simmer
Low, slow reduction
Concentrates flavour and evaporates harsh acetic acid without scorching the sugars
Hot-pack bottling in sterilised jars
Allows ambient (unrefrigerated) storage for up to a year, as is traditional in Cape Malay pantries
Variations & derivatives
Traditional Javanese sambal blachangJava (pre-colonial import)
Original form: sun-dried prawns and shrimp pounded into cheese-like masses — now largely replaced by the fruit version at the Cape.
Apple Blatjang (lacto-fermented)Cape Town / Fowlers tradition
Uses fresh apple, raisins, cumin, dhania, chilli, honey, whey and a little apple cider vinegar; fermented under a Fowlers airlock rather than vinegar-preserved.
Spiced Bobotie-style BlatjangCape Malay
Adds gingerroot, freshly ground coriander seed and mustard seed, plus fresh red chilli — the version most often served alongside bobotie.
Used in these dishes
Substitutions
- sultanas → golden raisins or currants — Same sweetness and pectin; flavour is very close
- sherry vinegar → apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar — Apple cider gives a fruitier, softer tang; white wine keeps it sharper
- dried chilli flakes → fresh red chilli (serrano or cayenne) — Adjust quantity — fresh chilli is wetter and slightly milder per gram
- brown sugar → white sugar plus a spoon of treacle or honey — Replaces the molasses depth of brown sugar
- dried apricots + sultanas → dried peaches + raisins or quinces + raisins — Historical Cape variants used whatever dried fruit was available; may need extra simmering to soften
Troubleshooting
Chutney is runny and won't set
Insufficient reduction or fruit too dry to release pectin → Simmer uncovered longer, or add a chopped apple (high-pectin) early in the cook
Too sharp / sour
Vinegar not fully reduced or insufficient sugar → Stir in more sugar and simmer 10–15 more minutes to mellow
Too sweet or flat
Sugar outweighed acid and spice → Add a splash more vinegar and a pinch more salt; finish with extra chilli
Surface mould after opening
Introduced moisture or unsterile spoon → Discard mould and 1 cm of surface, reheat remainder to a rolling boil for 5 min, rebottle in a clean sterilised jar