# Adding a little tartness to a gravy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [November 18, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-little-tartness-to-a-gravy/925900 "2020-11-18T16:57:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Periwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Periwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Periwinkle)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-little-tartness-to-a-gravy/925900/21 "2020-11-19T05:43:26Z")
I thought you might like to see the recipe for the chutney, link is below. I first had it at the Ponti Grill in Seattle, which is out of business now unfortunately. My favorite use is to serve with pan fried halibut, but it would be good with a lot of things. You can make it ahead of time and reheat to serve. > **[Ginger-Tomato Chutney](https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/ginger-tomato-chutney-101032)** > > This recipe originally accompanied Thai Curry Penne with Ginger-Tomato Chutney. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-little-tartness-to-a-gravy/925900/22 "2020-11-19T06:14:11Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > > Christopher Kimball introduced me to a new ingredient that would also work in this situation-- [pomegranate molasses](https://smile.amazon.com/Cortas-Pomegranate-Molasses-10-PACK/dp/B07Z43HM29/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=pomegranate%2Bmolasses&qid=1605738203&sr=8-12&th=1). It’s very similar to balsamic vinegar in effect. > > I will keep my eyes out for that, can it be used as a salad dressing or dip for bread/ It’s kind of syrupy sweet-tart. I use it as an ingredient in a balsamic mustard vinaigrette. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-little-tartness-to-a-gravy/925900/23 "2020-11-19T09:07:15Z")
In addition to the excellent lemon zest suggestion, you could try lime zest. A local spice that is good for this kind of thing - more the bitter than the tart part - is dried satsuma peel powder, you could find something similar at Chinese food places as well - mandarin peel, called _chenpi_. > [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > I will keep my eyes out for that, can it be used as a salad dressing or dip for bread/ As an ingredient, yes. By itself, I’d say no, it’s a bit overwhelming a flavour. Better to cut it with a light oil or similar. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-little-tartness-to-a-gravy/925900/24 "2020-11-19T15:12:48Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > I will keep my eyes out for that, can it be used as a salad dressing or dip for bread/ As long as the pomegranate police don’t catch you! 😉 Seriously, I think it’s too strong for that. Maybe a bit in the olive oil that you’re dipping your bread into? > [@needscoffee](#): > > It’s kind of syrupy sweet-tart. I use it as an ingredient in a balsamic mustard vinaigrette. Emphasis on the _tart_– not much like regular sugar cane molasses. > [@MrDibble](#): > > As an ingredient, yes. By itself, I’d say no, it’s a bit overwhelming a flavour. Better to cut it with a light oil or similar. Or use just a dash-- the way you would balsamic vinegar. Actually, upon reflection, I think balsamic vinegar is sweeter than pomegranate molasses. Which brings me to a simple and YUMMY salad dressing: equal parts balsamic vinegar and **toasted** walnut oil. Delish! When I say “equal parts,” I mean maybe a tablespoon of each, not a cup of each. Toss the salad with the walnut oil (TOASTED) and then sprinkle on the vinegar. Insanely great combination. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-little-tartness-to-a-gravy/925900/25 "2020-11-19T15:40:46Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Or use just a dash-- the way you would balsamic vinegar. I must admit, I usually do the “drops of balsamic in a plate of EVOO” thing. It looks so pretty… > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Actually, upon reflection, I think balsamic vinegar is sweeter than pomegranate molasses. Definitely. Or at least, with the good Turkish _nar ekşisi_, where the tartness is fundamental, vs a really good aged balsamic where the sweetness has really come to the fore. But on the other hand, the cheaper molasses can be so sickly-sweet they might as well be grenadine. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-little-tartness-to-a-gravy/925900/26 "2020-11-19T16:14:31Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I must admit, I usually do the “drops of balsamic in a plate of EVOO” thing. It looks so pretty… Hmmm… maybe you could generate supplemental income by predicting the future and such. Like reading tea leaves. 🧙🏽‍♀️ Call it EV-WOO-WOO. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-little-tartness-to-a-gravy/925900.md?page=1)