Mango Chutney

Peel the mangoes and discard the skins. Slice the fruit away from the pit and then cut the fruit into 3/4-inch (2-cm) dice.
Place a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Toss in the chile, cinnamon, coriander seeds, cardamom, cloves, and star anise and cook for 30 seconds. (If you have cheesecloth, first bundle the whole spices in the cloth before tossing them in the pan.) Add the mango chunks, water, garam masala, sugar, and salt. If your mangoes are fairly ripe and sweet, add the vinegar. Bring to a boil and gently cook, uncovered and stirring frequently, until the chutney is nice and thick with very little liquid remaining and the liquid that is remaining is no longer runny, anywhere from 50 to 80 minutes. You’ll need to stir the chutney more and more frequently toward the end of cooking to ensure it doesn’t stick to the pan and scorch.
Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes. If using cheesecloth, remove and discard the bundle of spices. If not using cheesecloth, you may wish to remove the whole spices with a spoon. Spoon the slightly cooled chutney into a clean jar. Let cool to room temperature before screwing on the lid and stashing the chutney in the fridge. (The chutney will keep for up to several weeks.)