Imli Chutney Recipe

Imli chutney or tamarind chutney is a sweet & sour Indian chutney prepared using tamarind extract (imli), jaggery, date and few spices. This khajur imli chutney recipe is must to have with all Indian chaat items.

Watch how to make Imli Chutney Recipe?

Tamarind chutney for chaat

Imli ki chutney is an integral part of Indian chaat items along with green coriander chutney.

This date & imli chutney is sweet and sour, thick paste-like chutney and makes a perfect dip with all Indian deep-fried snacks like samosa, pakoras(fritters), chana dal vada(south Indian fritter).

This khatti meethi imli ki chutney is perfect and enhances flavors when blended in bhel puri.

Sprinkle over chaat items like Dahi Vada (moong dal Dahi vada), papdi chaat, samosa chat, Alu Tikki chat,pani poori, ragda pattice, and Dahi poori.

A perfect dipping sauce for samosa and kachoris.

This thick date and tamarind chutney can be seen on every food stalls who sell Indian chaat variety.

To make it a little spicy normally chili flakes or chili powder or dry ginger powder is used.

Using dry ginger this imli date chutney is called as saunth chutney. Sometimes dry mango powder is also used. All in all, we have many variations to this sweet tamarind chutney.

Note: This sweet chutney is known as various names, tamarind chutney, sweet imli chutney, sweet imli ki chutney, khajur imli ki chutney, date and tamarind chutney, sonth. Must say that sweet tamarind chutney is one of the best Indian condiments ever.

To make this imli aur khajur ki chutney you can use either sugar or jaggery. Though jaggery is the most preferable ingredient in making tamarind chutney.

Using jaggery chutney will be refined sugarfree and it enhances the flavors. It is always a great idea to make such chutneys at home because you know the ingredients and quality.

What is Imli Chutney or Tamarind Chutney?

Tamarind chutney is a sweet and tangy Indian dipping sauce which usually served with Indian snacks or used in Indian chaats.

It is prepared with tamarind pulp, jaggery or sugar, dates, and spices.

Imli means = tamarind

khajur means = dates

Translate into khajur imli chutney or date & tamarind chutney.

Being a combination of sweet and sour ingredients it is called a khatti meethi khajur imli ki chutney as well.

Tamarind Chutney ingredients

• Tamarind: This is available in all Indian stores. You can choose any variety either seedless or with seeds as per the availability.
• Jaggery
• Dates: Medjool dates are great to use as they are soft and moist. You can easily get them from Costco and sam's club including Indian stores.
• Spices: few spices like salt, cumin seeds, red chili flakes
• Garnishing (optional): Magaj seeds to garnish

Can we freeze sweet tamarind chutney?

Yes, you can easily freeze this sweet pakora chutney.

1. After cooling down, transfer it in a clean and dry jar. Keep it in the fridge, it tastes great for a month. Make sure to use a dry spoon every time you take some.
2. In case if you need to freeze it, transfer the chutney in the freezing tray and freeze it. Store in an airtight zip lock. Just thaw for 2-3 hours before using.

Note: Personally I stored for a month in the fridge and freezer section. After a month definitely taste go bad, aroma, flavors, thickness everything changes with time.

How long can you store sweet imli chutney?

Tamarind date chutney is good to store for more than a month in the fridge. With time it gets thicken so if you find that chutney is very thick just add little water and boil it once.

Note: I personally tried to store just for a month which is good enough to enjoy the best taste.

How to store imli chutney for chaat?

1. After making once chutney is at room temperature store it in a clean and dry jar or any utensil. Keep it in the fridge & use a dry spoon every time you scoop out.
2. Citric acid is used if you want to store for more then a month. Using preservative is something which I avoid so never tried it.
3. Freeze the chutney in ice cube tray and store cubes in a tight zip lock. You need to thaw before using.

How to make khajur imli ki chutney?

Traditionally to make khajur imli ki chutney first soak tamarind in hot water, at least for 30 minutes.

This will soften the tamarind and helps to extract tamarind pulp. Meanwhile, soak date in water for 15 minutes.

After 30 minutes mash the tamarind using hands and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the leftover.

Grind the dates with the water they are soaked in.

In a pan add tamarind extract, date puree, jaggery, and all other ingredients and cook for 15-20 minutes on medium heat.

Switch off the stove once you get the desired consistency of the chutney. Adjust spices as per your taste.

what to eat with tamarind chutney?

Green Coriander chutney

Chana dal vada

Moong dal dahi vada

Bherwa Mirch pakora (Rajasthani mirch pakora)

So let see how to make imli chutney or tamarind chutney for chaat. You can easily scale up or down the recipe as per requirement. Perfect chutney to spread on dahi vada or samosa chaat.

Imli Chutney Recipe

Ingredients                          2.5 Cup around

For tamarind pulp
3 Cups water
1 Cup dry tightly packed tamarind

For date puree
15 Dates deseeded
1 Cup water

Other ingredients
½ Cup-1 Cup jaggery
4 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust as per taste)
2 teaspoon cumin seed powder
1 teaspoon fennel seed
3 teaspoon salt (as per taste)
2 teaspoon black salt
3 teaspoon magaj seeds (optional)

How to make khatti meethi imli ki chutney

1. First of all, boil the 3 cups of water and add tamarind. Keep it aside for 30 minutes.
2. Soak the deseeded dates in 1 cup of water and keep it aside for 15 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes, carefully mash the tamarind and strain through a wire mesh. Discard the leftover and use the tamarind water to make chutney.
4. Grind the dates with the water they soaked in and make a puree.
5. Now in a heavy bottom pan add tamarind water, dates puree and jaggery powder. Cook this mixture on medium heat.
6. As soon as it starts boiling add cumin seed powder, fennel seeds, salt, and black salt. Mix well.
7. Keep checking the consistency and as soon as the mixture is thick enough as required switch off the stove. It takes around 10-15 minutes on medium heat. Keep stirring.
8. Mix magaj seeds and let the imli chutney come at room temperature.
9. Imli chutney or tamarind chutney is ready to accompany with your favorite snacks.

Notes

1. Adjust the spice level as per taste.
2. You can adjust jaggery quantity as per taste how you would like to have in sweetness. But ½ Cup jaggery is must have.
3. Tamarind chutney is really easy to make as you can adjust everything as required. Check the consistency level and switch off the stove.
4. Store in the fridge after use.

If you try this recipe then we would love to see your creation. Do share a photo with us on code2cook2017@gmail.com or tag me at Instagram @code2cook using hashtag #code2cook.

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