South Africa is famous for many flavours, and one of the most iconic is Mrs Balls Chutney — spicy, fruity and utterly delicious. Made from minced dried fruit and onion with a hint of chilli, it delivers a sweet-tangy flavour with just enough heat. It’s delightful served with a slice of pork pie and a chunk of cheese.
The history of Mrs Balls Chutney
Mention Mrs Balls chutney to any South African and you’ll often get a fond smile and a memory. This chutney has long been a pantry staple across the country.
Made from dried fruit with a background heat from chilli, the chutney works equally well stirred into stews and curries or served as a condiment alongside cold meats and pies.
The story commonly told is that in the 1860s a Mr and Mrs Adkins travelled from Canada to South Africa. On the voyage an Indian chef shared a chutney recipe with Mrs Adkins — “chutney” being the anglicised form of the Hindi word chatni, a relish made from fruit and spices.
After they settled in South Africa, Mrs Adkins made the chutney for friends and family. Her daughter Amelia inherited the recipe and, after marrying Herbert Saddleton Ball, sold the chutney to support the household. She labelled it Mrs H.S. Balls Chutney, using her husband’s initials in the custom of the day. The product grew in popularity, the business expanded, and Amelia’s sons continued the enterprise until it was eventually acquired by a major South African food manufacturer.
Amelia Ball died in 1962 at the age of 97, but her chutney remains a beloved South African classic.
Recipe notes
- Prep time – 15 minutes
- Soaking time – 12 hours
- Cooking time – 30 minutes
- Yield – 2 x 500ml jars
- Calories – 155 per 100 ml
- Main equipment – large saucepan with lid
How to make Mrs Balls Chutney
The original commercial recipe is closely guarded, and many home versions circulate. Below is a straightforward copycat that recreates the familiar sweet-tangy, slightly spicy profile using dried apricots, sultanas and onion.
Some cooks prefer dried peaches instead of apricots; others vary how they soak the fruit. Feel free to adjust according to the ingredients you have and the texture you prefer.
This version aims for a chunky, sticky chutney close to the classic taste — not necessarily identical but very satisfying.
What you will need to make chutney
This recipe yields roughly 1 litre (two 500ml jars). Full ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
- Dried apricots – chopped to about the size of sultanas
- Sultanas
- Onions – finely chopped to match the fruit size
- Sherry vinegar or another fruity vinegar (avoid plain white or malt vinegar)
- Water
- White sugar
- Salt
- Dried chilli flakes – adjust to taste
Thick and sticky — exactly how Mrs Balls chutney should be.
How to make Mrs Balls Chutney
- Place the dried apricots and sultanas in a large bowl and cover with sherry (or fruity) vinegar. Cover and leave to soak overnight so the fruit plumps and absorbs the liquid.
- The next day, blend the soaked fruit and its soaking liquid in a food processor until roughly chopped — aim for pieces about the size of sultanas rather than a fine purée.
- Tip the fruit into a large saucepan.
- Chop the onions to a similar size and add them to the fruit in the pan.
- Add the water, sugar, salt and dried chilli flakes, stir well and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 40–45 minutes until the mixture is thick and syrupy. If needed, simmer longer to reach a jam-like, sticky consistency. Remember it will thicken further as it cools.
- Taste and adjust: add a little more sugar if too acidic, or more chilli if you prefer extra heat. The final chutney should be sweet and tangy.
- Cool and pour into sterilised jars. Store in the refrigerator — the flavour improves with age and will keep for several weeks.
A note on the chilli
Mrs Balls is made in a standard version and a hotter variant. You can easily adapt the spice level by changing the amount of dried chilli flakes to suit your taste.
Save for later
If you want to try this chutney later, save or pin the recipe so it’s easy to find when you’re ready to make it.
Related recipes
Here are a few other South African recipes you might enjoy. Explore more on the site’s South African recipes page.
-
Bobotie – a traditional South African curry bake
-
South African lamb bredie (lamb stew)
-
Quick and easy beef Trinchado
-
Curried green bean salad
📋The recipe
Mrs Balls Chutney
Equipment
- Food processor or sharp knife for chopping
- Large saucepan with lid
- Spatula for mixing
- Glass jars for storage
Ingredients
- 1 lb / 450 g dried apricots, finely chopped
- 8 oz / 225 g sultanas
- 1 lb / 450 g onions, finely chopped
- 1½ cups / 350 ml sherry vinegar
- 2 cups / 500 ml water
- 1⅓ cups / 250 g white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (more or less to taste)
Instructions
- Soak the apricots and sultanas overnight in the vinegar (about 12 hours).
- Blend the soaked fruit and soaking liquid in a food processor until roughly chopped.
- Tip the mixture into a large saucepan.
- Finely chop the onion and add to the fruit.
- Add the water, sugar, salt and dried chilli flakes, stir well and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30–45 minutes until thick and syrupy; it will thicken further on cooling.
- Cool and pour into sterilised jars. Store in the fridge.
Notes
The dried fruit absorbs the vinegar while soaking and will be plumped up the next day.
You can substitute dried apricots for dried peaches to make a peach chutney.
Keep the pieces chunky rather than blending to a smooth purée — aim for fruit the size of small raisins.
Sherry or another fruity vinegar gives the best flavour; avoid plain white or malt vinegar.
Simmering time will determine final thickness — you want a sticky, jam-like consistency.
Taste and adjust sugar or chilli as needed. The finished chutney should be sweet and tangy.
Calories are calculated per 100 ml for guidance only.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates – 39.6 g |
Protein – 1.4 g |
Fat – 0.4 g |
Sodium – 236 mg |
Potassium – 251 mg |
Fiber – 2.2 g |
Sugar – 35.5 g |
Calcium – 21 mg
Nutrition info is estimated using an online calculator and is for guidance only.
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