Ljutenica

Ljutenica, lyutenitsa or lutenica is a vegetable relish or chutney in Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian cuisines.

The ingredients include peppers, aubergines, carrots, garlic, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and tomatoes. It comes in many varieties: smooth; with bits; with small spicy peppers or eggplant; and spicy or mild.

Ljutenica may be slightly spicier than the other popular relish; however, these relishes are available in many regional and national variations.

In Bulgaria, lyutenitsa comes in a jar and is often used as a spread on breads. It is also frequently eaten with many meats, meatballs and kebapcheta. Most households have them all year.

In recent years, industrial production of ljutenica and ajvar has flourished. Large-scale production of both relishes has popularized them outside the Balkans.