Date and Tamarind Chutney also known as Khajur Imli ki chutney is a sweet and sour Indian condiment without which most chaat recipes like bhel puri, sev puri, pani puri, ragda pattice, dahi wada are incomplete. It pairs well with deep fried snacks too like samosa, pakoras, aloo tikki and the list goes on. The combination of this sweet and sour chutney with the spicy green chutney is epic and gives a great two dimensional taste to any dish they are served with.
Its a very healthy and easy to make recipe with main ingredients being date, tamarind which are then further sweetened by jaggery (you could use sugar too) and seasoned with a few Indian spices.
- ½ cup packed seedless dates (used mejdool dates 8-9)
- ¼ packed seedless tamarind or 2-3 tbsp of tamarind extract
- ¼ to ½ cup grated jaggery or sugar (to taste) (I prefer combination of ¼ cup jaggery and 2 tbsp sugar which can be adjusted to taste)
- 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds powder
- 1 tsp black salt (kala namak) (or substitute with regular salt if not available)
- ¼ tsp red chilli powder
- pinch of black pepper
- salt to taste (approx ½ tsp)
- Add the dates and tamarind with 2 cup of water.
- Bring to a boil and keep simmering until the dates and tamarind are soft.
- Once the mixture is soft, switch off the heat, add the jaggery and mix to dissolve.
- Then add the red chilli powder, roasted cumin seeds powder, black salt, salt and pepper. Give it a good mix.
- Allow to cool. Grind to smooth paste and strain.
- Boil again and let it come to room temperature.
- Now its ready to use or store in airtight container and refrigerate or freeze.
This chutney can be stored in refrigerator for days or make it in bulk and freeze it for upto 6 months. I love freezing it in 4 oz mason jars and then as needed I just pull one jar, let it thaw and use. That way I can have my chaat dishes when I crave them.
Step by Step Method:
Add the dates and tamarind with 2 cup of water. Bring to a boil and keep simmering until the dates and tamarind are soft.
Once the mixture is soft, switch off the heat, add the jaggery and mix to dissolve. Then add the red chilli powder, roasted cumin seeds powder, black salt, salt and pepper. Give it a good mix.
Allow to cool. Grind to smooth paste and strain. Boil again and let it come to room temperature. Now its ready to use or store in airtight container and refrigerate or freeze. I usually freeze the extra in 4 oz mason jar containers.
That’s it, our sweet and sour Indian Date Tamarind Chutney is ready. Serve these with your favorite snack. Enjoy!
Happy Cooking!
Shweta
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