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.
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.