This Tamarind Date Chutney is a delicious blend of sweet Medjool dates, tangy tamarind (imli), and a handful of Indian spices. Imli Chutney is the perfect sauce along with it's sister, Cilantro-Mint Chutney, to pair with Indian snacks and chaats. This recipe can be prepared stovetop or in an Instant Pot with fresh tamarind or tamarind paste.
There's really nothing quite like enjoying fresh tamarind from the street vendor in India! My mother always excitedly grabs a pound of it, and for good reason! We also love to turn the fresh tamarind into chutney at home.
This Tamarind Date Chutney is a delicious homemade sweet and sour condiment that pairs well with Indian chaats and snacks. The flavor is comparable to the sweet yet tangy flavor profile in pomegranate molasses and chamoy.
The fresh Medjool dates add a naturally sweet, deeply caramel flavor that's a match made in heaven with the ripe fresh tamarind. Using Medjool dates also means we can significantly cut down on adding almost half a cup of sugar to the chutney! Dates also add fiber to the chutney, making it easier to digest all the fried foods and snacks we're eating it with.
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Why You'll love this Recipe
Making chutney at home couldn't be easier with just a handful of ingredients. The homemade version is much better than the canned chutney you get at the grocery store or when it's diluted at Indian restaurants. It's exactly the way my mother would make it at home for chaat night.:
- I show you how to process fresh tamarind to make chutney if you are blessed with a bounty of it from a tamarind tree. There's also notes on starting with tamarind paste or concentrate from a grocery store.
- This sweet tamarind chutney recipe uses Medjool dates to naturally sweeten the chutney and cut back on the loads of sugar this chutney typically has.
- Imli Chutney is gluten-free and vegan. It's also a shelf-stable condiment to keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Even longer if it's frozen.
- I provide you with instructions on how to make it in half the time with an Instant Pot pressure cooker.
What is Tamarind Chutney?
Tamarind Chutney is a sweet, spicy, and tangy Indian condiment made with tamarind pulp, spices, and sugar. It's also known as imli chutney or meethi chutney. Every family has their own variation on how they make a tamarind sauce. Several recipes, like this one, use Medjool dates for it's naturally sweet, caramel flavor that pairs perfectly with the tamarind.
Imli Chutney is used as a condiment with fried snacks like aloo samosas and pakora for dipping. It especially makes an appearance in chaat where it's used as a saucy topping, like in Dahi Vada.
Imli Chutney is commonly found paired with it's sister chutney, Cilantro-Mint Chutney. The Imli Chutney is tangy, sweet, and savory while the cilantro chutney is herby, fresh, and citrusy.
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
- Tamarind - Tamarind is sweet like brown sugar and has sour tangy after notes, much like lime juice. This recipe starts with fresh whole tamarind which can be found at most major or ethnic grocery stores. I measured 150 grams of tamarind with the outer husk and veins removed. It came down to 75 grams after removing the seeds for this recipe.
- Use 75 grams of seedless tamarind paste, which are thick blocks of tamarind pulp compressed together with the outer shell removed. Some tamarind paste still has seeds in it, so you'll want to loosen the paste in 2 cups of hot water and mash it with clean or gloved hands to rehydrate the paste. This way, you can strain out the seeds before they end up in your chutney.
- Tamarind concentrate can be intensely sour and is better in small doses for soups, stews, dal, etc. I recommend starting with 1 tablespoon and adjusting from there.
- Dates - Medjool dates are the best variety for chutney. They're large, soft, and naturally sweet compared to other varieties. There are many health benefits to adding them into your diet, such as added vitamins, minerals, and high fiber (WebMD). The fiber added into this chutney makes it easier to digest the fried foods it's being eaten with. They're available pitted at the grocery store which makes this recipe quicker.
- Substitute ½ cup of date syrup and omit the jaggery.
- Spices - We're using roasted ground cumin, garam masala, dry ginger powder, and mild Kashmiri chili powder for heat.
- If you don't have roasted cumin powder, dry roast cumin seeds in a hot pan for a minute, or until fragrant. Then grind them into a powder using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder.
- For a spicier chutney, use cayenne pepper instead of Kashmiri chili powder.
- Don't use fresh ginger. It'll shorten the shelf-life of the chutney and has a different flavor than the dried powder.
- If you don't have garam masala, use small pinches of individual spices like black pepper, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon.
- Salt - Black salt, or kala namak, is very umami in flavor. It's quite strong, so we don't need to use a lot. If you're using kosher salt, double the amount.
- Black Cardamom - Black cardamom is completely optional. It has a very strong savory flavor and aroma. It's best when freshly ground with a mortar and pestle. Use it sparingly. I only used about half of the resulting powder. Substitute the black cardamom with a pinch of asafoetida (hing).
- Jaggery - Jaggery is an unrefined sugar that's popular in India, with a significant amount of molasses still in it. Since we're using sweet Medjool dates, we don't need to use too much jaggery in this recipe. Substitute it with half white sugar and half dark brown sugar.
- If you're not using Medjool dates, use ½ cup of jaggery or to taste.
How to make Tamarind-Date Chutney
There are two main parts to making the chutney:
- Cleaning, soaking, and pureeing the Medjool dates and fresh tamarind
- Cooking the puree down into a chutney
1. Process the Dates and Fresh Tamarind
To prep, start by pitting the Medjool dates. It's easiest to take a paring knife and cut a slit down one side to remove the seed.
Step 1 - Give each piece of tamarind a few good twists in your hands to remove the outer husk. You'll see the dark brown fruit inside which has thick veins attached, as seen above.
Remove as many of the veins as you can. Some are really embedded in the fruit so it's easier to remove them after soaking them in water.
Step 2 - Drop the pitted Medjool dates and tamarind in a mixing bowl filled with 2 cups of boiling hot water.
Step 3 - Soak for 30 minutes until the dates and tamarind have softened. Put the dates in the blender.
At this point, you can remove it from the water and easily remove any remaining veins.
Do not toss the soaking water! We are using it for this recipe. Strain the remaining soaking water into a liquid measuring cup.
If you're using tamarind paste that may have seeds in it, soak it in 2 cups of hot water just as described above. Once the water has cooled, massage the paste in the water with clean hands to loosen it so that you can strain the seeds out.
Step 4 - Push the pulp of the tamarind through a mesh strainer into th eblender with a spatula
Step 5 - Discard the seeds and fibrous parts of the tamarind
Mama Abha’s Expert Tip #1
If you're struggling to push the pulp through the strainer, reheat the soaking water for 1-2 minutes in a microwave. Transfer the remainder pulp back to the bowl and soak it for another 5 minutes. With clean hands, massage the tamarind to release the rest of the pulp.
Strain the soaking water into a liquid measuring cup.
Step 5 - Add 1 - 1 ¼ cup of the soaking water into the blender. Turn the blender on high for 2 minutes, or until you have a completely smooth puree of dates and tamarind.
Be sure to open the blender and scrape down the sides to ensure everything gets incorporated nicely into the puree. This resulted in about 1.25 cups of puree.
The black cardamom is completely optional, but it has this intense savory aroma and flavor that adds an oomph to the chutney. Grind the cardamom pod in a mortar and pestle into a coarse powder.
Mama Abha’s Expert Tip #2
It's up to you if you want to use the outer husk, but I removed it because it's not my favorite flavor or texture. If you do want to use it, lightly dry roast the black cardamom in a hot pan to extract the oil from it's husk.
2. Make the Chutney
On low heat:
- Transfer the remaining soaking water, about 1 cup, into a saucepan with the 2 tablespoons of jaggery. Stir the mixture until the jaggery has completely melted.
- Strain the tamarind date puree into the saucepan.
- Mix the sweetened soaking water with the puree.
- Add the black salt, roasted ground cumin, garam masala, Kashmiri chili powder, ground ginger, and half of the ground black cardamom into the puree. Stir everything together.
Mama Abha’s Expert Tip #3
Add peeled melon seeds, or mingi, before simmering the chutney for flavor and a crunch.
Let the mixture continue to simmer at low heat for another 15-17 minutes, stirring in intervals. Here are the signs to look for doneness, keeping in mind that it will thicken further as it steams off:
- It will reduce by about 25-50% depending on the amount of water you've added.
- The color turns a dark brown.
- The consistency will be thick, yet silky smooth and coats the back of a spoon.
- It looks almost syrupy.
Give the chutney a taste and adjust with additional spices, salt, or sugar to your preference. If it's too strong, dilute it with up to ¼ cup of water.
Transfer the date tamarind chutney into a sanitized 16-ounce mason jar. Let it cool completely before covering it with the lid and storing it in the refrigerator. Any residual heat will trap steam in the jar and reduce the shelf life significantly.
Instant Pot Imli Chutney Instructions
Instant Pot Imli Chutney is even quicker to make than the stovetop version!
- Add the pitted Medjool dates, jaggery, seedless tamarind pulp, and 2 cups of water into the Instant Pot. Cover the lid. Pressure cook for 10 minutes. Release the pressure and remove the lid.
- The dates and tamarind should be very soft and mushy. Transfer the contents into a blender and blitz it for 2 minutes until it's a smooth puree. If you're sure it's seedless, you can also use an immersion blender directly in the Instant Pot.
- Strain the puree with a mesh strainer back into the Instant Pot. Add the spices and mix everything together really well.
- Simmer on Sauté mode until you reach the desired consistency, about 5-6 minutes. Turn the Instant Pot off.
- Transfer the chutney to a clean sanitized 16-ounce jar to cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator.
Serving Suggestions
Use the Tamarind Date Chutney as a dip for appetizers like samosas! It's a must for my Pinwheel Aloo Samosas, Paneer Aloo Samosas, and Chicken Keema Samosas. It's also commonly served with papadums, pakoras, aloo tikki, and kachori.
It can also be used as a topping along with green chutney for Indian chaats such as Chole Samosa Chaat, Dahi Bhalla Chaat, Bhel Puri, Papdi Chaat, Dahi Puri, and Aloo Chaat.
The tamarind chutney with dates is also mixed with water to make the liquid for Pani Puri.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Soak the fresh tamarind and Medjool dates in a bowl of hot water for 30 minutes. If you cover it with a lid, the water stays hot for longer and you can cut the time down to 20 minutes. This softens the tamarind through to the seeds, so it's easier to remove the veins and strain out the pulp. The Medjool dates soften so it blends smoothly and reduces boiling time.
- Be sure to remove the seeds from both the tamarind and dates. They will make the chutney bitter.
- If your tamarind paste is completely seedless, it can go directly into the saucepan with the Medjool dates, jaggery, spices, and 2 cups of water. I prefer blending them into a puree first to reduce the time needed to melt them down and simmer into a thick, smooth chutney.
Storage Instructions
Be sure the chutney has completely cooled down before putting a lid on it. Any residual steam trapped in the jar will shorten the shelf life significantly.
Tamarind Chutney can be stored in a sanitized airtight container the refrigerator for up to 6 months, depending on the freshness of the tamarind and dates.
Note: Be sure to always use a clean spoon and clean hands when taking the amount of chutney needed. Put it back in the refrigerator right away.
It can be stored for even longer, about a year, in the freezer:
- Pour the chutney into ice cube trays.
- Freeze the chutney overnight.
- Transfer the ice cubes to a freezer bag.
More Chutney, Achaars, and Sauce Recipes to try
If you have leftover tamarind paste, be sure to make these Mango-Tamarind Cauliflower Bites.
Recipe
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Tamarind Date Chutney (Imli Chutney)
Ingredients
- 75 grams fresh tamarind pulp or paste, seedless
- 100 grams Medjool dates, (~5 large dates), pitted
- 2 cups water, boiling hot
- 2 tablespoons jaggery
- 1 black cardamom pod, optional
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, roasted
- ½ teaspoon kashmiri chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon kala namak (black salt), *see notes
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Soak the pitted Medjool dates and fresh tamarind in 2 cups of hot water for 30 minutes until they've softened and the water is cool to the touch.
- Add the Medjool dates to the blender. Put the large mesh strainer over the mouth of the blender. Transfer the soaked tamarind into the mesh strainer, and be sure to reserve the soaking water separately in a liquid measuring cup. Push the pulp through the strainer using a spoon or rubber spatula. Discard the seeds.
- Pour 1 cup of the soaking water into the blender with the dates and tamarind. Turn the blender on high speed for 2 minutes, or until the puree is completely smooth.
- (Optional) Dry roast the black cardamom pod in the saucepan for a minute on medium heat, or until fragrant. Then, grind the cardamom pod into a powder using a mortar and pestle.
- With a saucepan on low heat, and the remainder of the soaking water (~1 cup) and the jaggery. Once the jaggery has melted, strain the tamarind-date puree into the saucepan. Mix everything together really well.
- Add half of the black cardamom powder, garam masala, ground cumin, Kashmiri chili powder, ground ginger, and black salt and stir everything together.
- Simmer the chutney on low heat for 15-17 minutes, being sure to stir in intervals. The chutney is done when it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, dark brown, and almost syrupy. Remove the saucepan from heat.
- Transfer the chutney to a sanitized 16-ounce mason jar to cool before storing in the refrigerator.
- Serve with samosas, pakora, or on chaat.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Add the pitted Medjool dates, jaggery, seedless tamarind pulp, and 2 cups of water into the Instant Pot. Cover the lid. Pressure cook for 10 minutes. Release the pressure.
- The dates and tamarind should be very soft and mash easily. Transfer the contents into a blender and blitz it for 2 minutes until it's a smooth puree.
- Strain the puree with a mesh strainer back into the Instant Pot. Add the spices and mix everything together really well.
- Simmer on Sauté mode until you reach the desired consistency. Turn the Instant Pot off.
- Transfer the chutney to a clean sanitized 16-ounce jar to cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator.
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