Tamarind Chutney Recipes

TAMARIND CHUTNEY

Steps:

• To a bowl, add tamarind, dates, jaggery, 2 cups water and red chilli powder.
• Pour 1 cup water to your pressure cooker, place a rack/ trivet. Keep the bowl of ingredients inside. Cover the bowl. Cover the pressure cooker.
• Pressure cook for 3 whistles on a medium heat. If using Instant pot, press the pressure cook button and set the timer to 9 to 10 minutes.
• Once done, wait for the pressure to release completely. Remove the bowl and add all of the spice powders. Mix and cover immediately so the flavors will be absorbed.
• Cool this completely. Using a masher, mash it very well or blend in a blender. Place a strainer over a large bowl and add the cooked tamarind paste. Pass it through the sieve. Taste test and add more salt and spice if needed.
• Store tamarind chutney in a clear jar and refrigerate.
• Optional: Heat half tsp ghee in a pot. Add hing to it.
• Pour water to the pot. Deseed the tamarind and dates if any. Add them to the pot. Also add jaggery.
• Boil all the 3 ingredients until dates & tamarind turns very soft. If the mixture turns too thick then you can add up another half cup water. Some kind of dates and tamarind need more water.
• Add red chili powder, salt, saunf powder, coriander powder, ginger powder and jeera powder. Mix all of these and continue to cook further for 2 to 3 mins until the flavor of the spices comes out.
• Cool this mixture completely. Check if any tamarind or dates seeds are left in the pulp. Discard them.
• Add the entire mixture to a blender jar and blend until smooth.
• I added about half cup boiled and cooled water at this stage to help blend smoothly.
• Place a sieve or colander over a large bowl. Then transfer the pureed dates tamarind chutney to it and pass through.
• You will get smooth thick tamarind chutney. Add this to a clean moist free glass bottle and store in refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.
• This chutney turns thick due to the addition of dates. So you will need to bring to consistency before using in chaats. Scoop a few tbsps from the bottle to a bowl and add some hot water. Mix up well. This will refresh your tamarind chutney.

SWEET TAMARIND CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, ginger, cayenne pepper, fennel seeds, asafoetida powder, and garam masala; cook and stir for about 2 minutes to release the flavors.
• Stir the water into the pan with the spices along with the sugar and tamarind paste. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat until the mixture turns a deep chocolaty brown and is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. This should take 20 to 30 minutes. The sauce will be thin, but it will thicken upon cooling.

TAMARIND CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the cumin seeds, ginger, cayenne pepper, fennel seeds, asafoetida powder, and garam masala; cook and stir for about 2 minutes to release the flavors.
• Stir the water into the pan with the spices along with the sugar and tamarind paste.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat until the mixture turns a deep chocolaty brown and is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. This should take 20 to 30 minutes. The sauce will be thin, but it will thicken upon cooling.

TAMARIND CHUTNEY

Steps:

• In a medium sauté pan, heat the oil over medium until it glistens, about 1 minute. Add the cumin, coriander, fennel and red-pepper flakes, and sauté until aromatic and lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
• Add the tamarind, jaggery, raisins, dates and fresh ginger, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to prevent scorching and to encourage the flavors to mingle.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chaat masala, ground ginger and kala namak. Transfer the chutney to a food processor or blender and blend on high speed until smooth, adding a little water if needed to create a thick but pourable consistency.
• Taste and season with kosher salt. The chutney will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

RAISIN AND TAMARIND CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Put the raisins, sugar, tamarind pulp, 1/2 cup water, Garam Masala, ginger, chile and onions into a medium saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool slightly, and then stir in the cilantro.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Put the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon sticks on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until they are aromatic, 15 to 20 minutes. Grind to a powder in an electric spice grinder. Store in an airtight jar.

ONION TAMARIND CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet and add cumin seeds and coriander seeds. Add red chile peppers and fry for 1 minute. Add onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute until it turns color, about 1 minute. Add tomato and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
• Mix in tamarind paste and turmeric powder and mix well. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool completely.
• Transfer skillet contents to a blender and season with salt. Add water as needed and blend everything into a smooth paste.
• Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil to a skillet and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Cook until mixture splutters and pour tempering over chutney. Mix to combine.

TAMARIND - DATE CHUTNEY ( SWEET INDIAN CHUTNEY)

Steps:

• Place the jaggery, dates and water in a deep boiling pan for about 2 hours.
• After the dates become smooth, blend in a mixer till smooth.
• Strain and transfer to the pan again.
• Add the tamarind paste and seasoning.
• Boil till thick enough to coat the back of a spoon thinly.
• Cool again. Store in clean airtight bottles and refrigerate.
• Shelf life of about a month in the refrigerator.
• * Here, I have used tamarind paste. But in case you do not have tamarind, soak the tamarind in water and extract its paste.
• What I usually do is use dry tamarind powder which I get from Indian grocery stores.

MANGO-TAMARIND CHUTNEY

Steps:

• To make tamarind juice, put the pulp in a bowl and cover with 1 cup boiling water. Stir well and let soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Set a fine-meshed strainer over another bowl, add soaked tamarind and press hard with a wooden spoon to extract the juice. This should yield 1/2 cup tamarind juice. Discard the solids left in the strainer. (If using prepared tamarind juice, skip this step.)
• Add brown sugar and salt and stir to dissolve, then add onion, chile, ginger and diced mango and toss gently to combine. (Chutney may be prepared several hours in advance.) Just before serving, add mint and cilantro, if using.