Tamarind Date Chutney
This Tamarind Date Chutney is a delicious blend of sweet Medjool dates, tangy tamarind, and a handful of Indian spices to pair with Indian chaats and snacks. This recipe can be prepared stovetop or in a Instant Pot with fresh tamarind or tamarind paste.
Servings: 32 servings
Calories: 18kcal
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.
Notes
* Substitute black salt with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt.
Storage Instructions
Store the tamarind date chutney in a sanitized 16 ounce mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.