Tamarind Chutney

Sweet, tangy, and with a hint of spice to balance the flavors, this mouthwatering tamarind chutney is easy to make at home. A must-have chutney to dip samosas in or to drizzle over chaat.

Making homemade tamarind chutney is easy. It can be made ahead and refrigerated. In this recipe, I use both dates and jaggery to add sweetness but you can also use just dates or just jaggery if you like.

Ingredients to make Tamarind Chutney

• Tamarind Paste - I love the convenience of concentrated jaggery paste. It is readily available in Indian grocery stores and I would recommend Swad, Tamicon, or Rani brand
• Dates - Pitted dates add creamy texture and sweetness to the chutney
• Jaggery - Also known as "Gur" or "Gud" in Hindi, jaggery is unrefined sugar with an earthy, caramel-like flavor
• Spices - red chili powder, salt, ground cumin, ground coriander and ground ginger balance the sweet and tangy flavors of the chutney

How to make Tamarind Chutney

• Add dates and water to the Instant Pot insert. Pressure cook for 8 minutes. Quick release. Stir in Jaggery and tamarind paste. (photos 1 - 4)

• Mash with a potato masher until smooth. Note: You can also use a blender. Strain the pureed paste, use a silicone spatula or press down with your fingers. Discard any fibers that will be left in the strainer (Photos 5 -8)

• Return the strained tamarind chutney paste to the Instant Pot insert. Add the dry spices and cook on saute(low) for 5 minutes or until the chutney comes to a gentle boil. Note: the chutney will thicken as it cools down (Photos 9 -10)

Serving

This Sweet Tamarind Chutney is a perfect accompaniment with Samosa, Aloo Chaat, Bhel, Dahi Bhalla, Tater Tots Chaat, Ragda Patties, and many other Indian dishes. It is often paired with green chutney for that spicy, sweet, and tangy flavor combo.

Tips and Substitutions

1. Using ready-made tamarind paste is much easier than using the whole tamarind that has a lot of fiber and sometimes seeds too.
2. If you do not want to use dates, you can double the amount of jaggery
3. Medjool dates are bigger and sweeter than regular dates, so use fewer dates or reduce the jaggery.
4. This recipe makes thick tamarind chutney, so depending on the recipe you are using it in, you can dilute it with water as needed
5. For the stovetop recipe, you can either pressure cook the dates in water or soak them in boiling hot water for an hour.
6. Don't have time to strain, use an immersion blender to blend the chutney smoothly!

Storing

Store in a dry airtight container or jar. Refrigerate for 5 to 7 days or freeze in smaller containers for longer shelf life.

Recipe

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4.60 from 5 votes

Tamarind Chutney Recipe

Sweet and Tangy Tamarind chutney with dates and jaggery. Makes 8 to 10 ounces of chutney.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Chutney

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 8

Calories: 98kcal

Author: Archana Mundhe

Equipment

• Instant Pot Pressure Cooker optional
• Silicone spatula optional
• Strainer

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ cup pitted dates 15
• ▢ ½ cup jaggery
• ▢ ½ cup tamarind paste
• ▢ 1 cup water

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 an airtight container

Video

Notes

• Using ready made tamarind paste is much easier than using whole tamarind that has a lot of fiber and sometimes seeds too.
• If you do not want to use dates, you can double the amount of jaggery
• Mejdool dates are bigger and sweeter than the regular dates, so use can either use lesser 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 stove top recipe, you can either pressure cook the dates in water or soak them in boiling hot water for an hour.

Nutrition

Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

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