Tamarind chutney is also known as Imli chutney ( Imli means Tamarind in Urdu/Hindi). It is a sweet, spicy and tangy sauce served with various snacks. It goes along with Dahi Baray, Papri Chaat , pakoras, samosa and various other snacks.
It can be used as a dipping sauce with all the snacks like samosa, pakora’s, rolls and even fries. And it also used for Topping or mixing in Dahi baray, papri chaat, samosa chaat and channa chaat.
Ingredients for Tamarind Chutney
The recipe for tamarind chutney have fairly simple ingredients. This recipe yields around 500 ml of sauce
- Tamarind – You can either use tamarind paste/concentrate sold in bottles at supermarkets. Or you can also use block tamarind/imli which has fiber and seeds as well. In terms of taste it doesn’t make any difference at all. It all comes down to ease as tamarind paste requires less effort. If you are using block tamarind you need to sieve the chutney in the end separating fiber and seeds.
- Raw Sugar/Granulated Sugar – This helps to balance the flavour and thicken the chutney giving it a sauce like consistency. The amount I have given gives right balance of sweetness and tanginess. Some people prefer their chutney to be more sweet, you can always add more sugar. Some recipes call out for use of brown sugar and jaggery. It gives a slightly deeper taste. But since jaggery is not a very common ingredient readily available i use sugar.
- Spices – You need salt, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder to spice and flavour the chutney.
How to Make Tamarind Chutney
Combine tamarind and spices along with water. Cook on medium heat untill the sauce is reduced and thick. Allow it to cool down before preserving.
Storing Tamarind Chutney
To store the chutney pour it in a jar and allow it to cool down to room temperature. It stays good in the fridge for 2-3 months ( even longer). When you take out the chutney for each use, ensure that you use a dry clean spoon to prevent moisture going in which results in mould. If you take care this chutney even last for 4 mths.
To freeze you can pour the chutney into ice cube tray. Once its set , take the blocks out and store them in a freezer bag. Thaw when ready to consume.
Tamarind Chutney
Ingredients
- 1 cup Tamarind Paste
- 1 cup Raw Sugar/granulated Sugar
- 1½ tsp Salt
- 1½ tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- 2 cup water
Instructions
- In a saucepan combine all the ingredients and mix well until combined.
- Simmer it on medium heat until sauce thickens. You know its ready when it starts bubbling.
- Allow it to cool down to room temperature. Pour it in a jar and store in refrigerator for 3-4 months ( see above for details)
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