Sweet chutney | Date & tamarind chutney or khajoor imli ki chutney, is a yet another important component of any chaat snacks. It’s made of dates, tamarind and jaggery, seasoned with some flavorful spices balancing out the sweet and sour flavors. This chutney is not only delicious but healthy as well due to it’s iron rich ingredients.
I personally love this sweet chutney more than the green and red chutney variants. I always ask the vendor to add a bit more of this sweet chutney for most of the chaat snacks. This chutney is readily available in most stores, but I prefer to make it at home. It’s sans preservatives plus stays great for over a month if stored properly in the refrigerator.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE SWEET CHUTNEY | DATE & TAMARIND CHUTNEY FOR CHAAT
1.Add dates, tamarind and jaggery in a pot along with 3 cups of water.
2.Bring this mixture to a boil, cook on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes or until dates and tamarind have softened. Stir in between. Alternatively, you may pressure cook to speed up the process. Add all the spices and salt to taste, continue to simmer for 10-15 more minutes.
3.Let this mixture cool down a bit. Mix well & strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.
4.Transfer the remaining pulp left behind in the mesh to a blender along with 1/4 cup purified water, blend and strain the chutney in 3 batches as it will be difficult to strain this 2nd extract. Discard the extract left behind in the sieve. Keep scraping the bottom of the sieve with a clean spoon and transfer the pulp to the bowl containing the remaining chutney. If it’s a runny consistency, cook the chutney further for few minutes. If it’s too thick, add boiled water and adjust the consistency. (The consistency of my chutney was perfect with these proportions). Once it is cool completely, transfer to a sterilized glass container and store in the refrigerator.
NOTES 1.You may add up to 1 cup of jaggery if your dates are not very sweet. 2.Feel free to increase the tamarind if you want it tangier. 3.Adjust the quantity of spices as per your preference.
HOW TO MAKE SWEET CHUTNEY FOR CHAAT?
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