Cover the peaches or apricots with 4 cups hot water and let soak for one hour. (Reserve soaking liquid.) Mince garlic and ginger. Coarsely chop softened peaches or apricots. Combine garlic, ginger, peaches or apricots, vinegar, sugar, cayenne and soaking liquid in a heavy, non-reactive pot and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent mixture from scorching. Add raisins and/or currants and continue to cook for another half an hour, until mixture it thick. (Chutney will thicken further as it cools.) Cool and store in the refrigerator.

Adapted by Karen Mintzias from a recipe in: "Madhur Jaffrey's World-of-the-East Vegetarian Cooking"