Sweet and tangy Tamarind Chutney is made with tamarind, jaggery and spices! It's a must have for all Indian chaat!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 12 minutes
  • Total time: Not specified
  • Yield: 2 cups
  • Category: Snack
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 70 grams seedless tamarind (around 3/4 cup packed tamarind (imli))
  • 2.25 cups water (18 oz, divided)
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • generous pinch hing
  • 3/4 cup powdered jaggery (105 grams)
  • 1/4 cup granulated white sugar (50 grams)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kala namak (black salt)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder (or to taste)

Method

  1. Add seedless tamarind in a pan and add 1.5 (12 oz) cups water to it. Put it on heat and bring to boil. As soon as it comes to boil, turn off heat, cover the pan with a plate and let it remain like that for 25 to 30 minutes.
  2. Then transfer mixture to a blender and blend to a fine paste.
  3. Sieve the mixture using a strainer to get rid of all the fiber. Add additional 1/2 cup (4 oz) water while sieving the mixture.
  4. Now heat oil in a kadai/wok on medium heat. Add cumin seeds and hing and let the cumin seeds splutter.
  5. Add in the prepared tamarind paste and mix. I added 1/4 cup (2 oz) more water here (so total water added is 2 1/4 cups= 1.5 cups (initially) + 1/2 cup (while sieving) + 1/4 cup (after adding tamarind paste to pan). Mix well.
  6. Add jaggery, sugar and mix until the jaggery and sugar dissolve, around 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. Then add cumin powder, kashmiri red chili powder, kala namak, salt, ginger powder and red chili powder. Mix everything well.
  8. Simmer the chutney on medium heat for around 6 minutes until the chutney thickens. Taste test and adjust sweetness accordingly. Also you can simmer more for thicker chutney. I don't like it super thick so this was perfect for me. Let the chutney cool down and then store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator. Serve sweet tamarind chutney with samosa, chaats etc.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.