For the apricot-date-citrus chutney, cut the apricots into small cubes (cut eighths into thirds) and place in a bowl.
Add lemon juice, orange juice, brandy and preserving sugar, mix well. Set aside to steep, stirring occasionally as juice develops.
Slowly sauté the shallots in 1-2 tbsp oil until translucent. Meanwhile, chop/chop the pitted dates, add to the glazed onions. Now turn up heat a bit and roast both briefly (1 minute).
Peel fresh ginger and chop very finely. Chop chili very finely. Add both to the onions and continue to roast briefly.
Turn down heat and let simmer. Peel and fillet oranges very roughly over the bowl with the apricots (juice should run into them) and squeeze out fruit remains over the bowl.
Add the fillet pieces to the onion mixture. Peel the lime also roughly (over the bowl), fillet (throw the small lime fillets into the bowl right away, as they usually fall apart), squeeze out fruit remains (juice should run into the bowl).
Mix the apricot mixture well but carefully. The apricot pieces should remain whole! Add cardamom, coriander, mustard seeds, cinnamon powder to the onion mixture.
Turn up the heat and roast everything again briefly. While doing this, mix in 8 cl of vinegar. A wonderful, fragrant spice paste is created. It is worth a sin on its own.
You can also use this as a coarse sauce! Turn down the heat. Let it simmer! – Pause m