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Sweet and tangy tamarind chutney in a brass bowl with tamarind pods and jaggery

Tamarind Chutney (Imli Chutney)

Sweet and tangy tamarind and jaggery chutney with roasted cumin and ginger. Prep time includes 20 minutes of soaking. Makes a jar that keeps for up to 1 month in the fridge.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings: 10 servings (about 1 cup)
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 50 g seedless tamarind block about 1/4 cup packed; or 2 tbsp tamarind concentrate
  • 1.25 cups hot water
  • 0.5 cup grated jaggery about 100 g; or dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
  • 0.5 tsp dry ginger powder (sonth) or ground ginger
  • 0.5 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder or mild paprika
  • 0.5 tsp black salt (kala namak) or regular salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 Saucepan
  • 1 Fine sieve

Method
 

  1. Soak the tamarind in the hot water for 20 minutes. If you are using concentrate, skip the soaking and simply mix it with 1 cup of water.
  2. Squeeze and mash the softened tamarind with your fingers, then press it through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Scrape the pulp from the underside of the sieve and discard the fibres.
  3. Add the jaggery and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until it dissolves.
  4. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the chutney coats the back of a spoon.
  5. Stir in the cumin, dry ginger, chilli powder, black salt and salt. Simmer for 1 more minute, then turn off the heat.
  6. Let it cool completely. It thickens as it cools, so loosen it with a spoonful of warm water if needed.

Notes

Serve with: samosas, papdi chaat, bhel puri, dahi vada and pakoras. Pair it with green chutney for the classic chaat combination.
Storage: clean, dry jar in the fridge for up to 1 month. It also freezes well in small portions.
Outside India: tamarind blocks and concentrate are sold in Indian, Asian and Latin American grocery stores.
Date version: add 4 to 5 pitted dates with the tamarind and blend before straining for a richer, thicker chutney.