I'm so excited to share my favorite kitchen staple: an authentic, homemade Tamarind Chutney that brings the soul of Indian street food right to your table. I've spent a lot of time refining recipe to be the perfect balance of tart tamarind and rich, sweet jaggery, finished with a warm blend of roasted cumin and ginger. It's a smooth, glossy sauce that is just thick enough to dip a samosa in or drizzle over a plate of chaat.
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I've tested various sweeteners over the years, but I find that using a combination of dates and jaggery creates the most complex depth of flavor. While you can certainly use just one or the other if that's what you have in your pantry, the dates add a fruity thickness that jaggery alone lacks. The best part? This recipe is incredibly forgiving and make-ahead friendly. I actually prefer making it a day in advance and letting it rest in the refrigerator; it gives those earthy spices time to fully bloom into the sauce.
In my kitchen, this chutney is the essential 'finishing touch' that elevates homemade chaat to that authentic, street-style level. It's a staple among my dips and chutney recipes, and I love how the cooling, sweet-and-sour notes add a refreshing contrast to the heat of a spicy green chutney. While the Instant Pot is my preferred method for the quickest results, I've also included stovetop instructions in the recipe card so you don't miss on the magic of this homemade tamarind chutney!
But let's be honest: while it's great on everything, we all know the absolute best pairing for this glaze is a plate of hot samosas.I've finally shared my mom's Punjabi samosa recipe recipe on the blog, and if you've never tried making them from scratch, her version is the perfect place to start. That said, I also love serving it restaurant-style with a basket of crunchy papadums for an effortless appetizer that always impresses.
Ingredients You'll Need
To get that authentic, street-style flavor, the quality and type of your ingredients matter. Here is what I use to achieve that perfect, signature balance:
- Tamarind Paste: For the best results and total convenience, I recommend using a high-quality concentrated tamarind paste. I personally find that brands like Swad or Rani provide the most consistent tanginess and deep color without the hassle of soaking and straining raw pulp.
- Pitted Dates: I typically use the smaller Deglet Noor dates for this recipe. If you decide to use Medjool dates, keep in mind they are much larger, meatier, and significantly sweeter. If you make the swap to Medjool, I suggest using a smaller quantity (about half) and adjusting to your taste.
- Jaggery (Gur): This is essential for a soulful, earthy sweetness. Unlike white sugar, jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) has a rich, caramel-like undertone that gives the chutney its signature depth.
- Spices: A perfect mix of red chili powder, salt, ground cumin, ground coriander, and ground ginger.
Tip: Don't skip the ground ginger (Sonth); it provides a subtle, lingering warmth that perfectly balances the cooling sweetness of the dates and jaggery.
How to make Tamarind Chutney
Storing
Store in a dry airtight container or jar. Refrigerate for up to a month or freeze in smaller containers for a longer shelf life.
★ Tried this recipe? I'd love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and let me know, or snap a quick pic and upload it-I love seeing your creations. If you're on Instagram, tag @ministry_of_curry so I can check it out. Your feedback means so much to me and makes all the time I spend perfecting each recipe totally worth it. Thank you!
Recipe
Quick Tamarind Date Chutney (Instant Pot)
Equipment
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooker optional
- Silicone spatula optional
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup pitted dates 15
- ½ cup jaggery
- ½ cup tamarind paste
- 1 cup water (½ cup extra for stovetop method)
Spices
- ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Add dates and water to the Instant Pot insert. Pressure cook for 8 minutes. Quick release.
- Stir in Jaggery and tamarind paste. Mash with a potato masher until smooth. Note: You can also use an immersion blender or mixer to blend it smooth, in which case the next step can be skipped.
- Strain the pureed paste, use a silicone spatula or press down with your fingers. Discard any fibers that will be left in the strainer.
- Return the strained paste to the Instant Pot insert. Add the dry spices and cook for saute(low) for 5 minutes or until the chutney comes to a gentle boil. Note: the Chutney will thickne as it cools down
- Store in a clean and dry airtight container. Refrigerate for up to a month or freeze for 6 months in multiple smaller containers.
Stovetop Method
- Combine the dates and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 10-12 minutes until the dates are completely softened.
- Stir in the jaggery and tamarind paste. Use an immersion blender or potato masher to break down the dates until smooth.
- Press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer using a silicone spatula.
- Return the smooth puree to the pot and stir in the dry spices. Simmer on low for 5 minutes until it reaches a gentle boil.
Notes
- Using ready-made tamarind paste is a huge time saver
- If you do not want to use dates, you can double the amount of jaggery
- Medjool dates are bigger and sweeter than the regular dates, so use can either use less or add less jaggery.
- This recipe makes thick tamarind chutney, so depending on the recipe you are using it in, you can dilute it with water as needed
- For the stove-top recipe, you can either pressure cook the dates in water or soak them in hot water for an hour.
Priya says
This chutney is so easy to make and tastes delicious. I’ll never buy it from the store again!
Archana says
Thank you, Priya!
Ananda says
Hello! Thank you for the recipe. making out tomorrow..
Just a small typo I think you mean tamarind rather than jaggery 🙂
“Tamarind Paste - I love the convenience of concentrated *jaggery* paste. It is readily available in Indian…”
Archana says
Thank you. Good catch and I will get that fixed.
Rimjhim Oberoi says
You said it will make 8 servings. How much is that 8 tablespoon or what? Can you please tell how many cups chutney will this recipe make?
Archana says
Makes 1 cup (8 tp 10 ounces) of chutney
Kryztof Kowalski says
Namaste! I've just discovered your wonderful site. I want to make this tamarind and date chutney, but my local only has tamarind concentrate - can I use this like tamarind paste instead? Would appreciate your help - no hurry, I'm sure you're very busy! Thanks again.
Archana Mundhe says
Yes, you can absolutely use tamarind concentrate in place of tamarind paste for the tamarind and date chutney. Since concentrates can vary in strength, I recommend starting with a little less (about half the amount of paste called for) and then adjusting to taste. Let me know how it turns out.
S says
How can I make the tamarind paste at home? Also what’s the ratio of tamarind and water needed