Sweet tamarind chutney is a sweet, mildly spiced, sour sauce used in most Indian street-side food preparations. This gluten-free, vegan sweet sauce is one of the most essential multi-purpose Indian condiments used in chaats and as a dipping sauce for appetisers.
This delicious, sweet sauce is not only used as a dip and an essential condiment in chaats but in some restaurants, it is served with a poppadum in a chutney tray along with yogurt mint sauce and onion salad.
Sweet tamarind sauce is slightly thick and has a smooth texture with sweetness from jaggery balanced with the sourness from tamarind, mild hot from chilli powder and dry ginger powder.
This Indian sweet chutney is also known as imli ki chutney, saunth chutney, sweet tamarind sauce, imli ki meethi chutney.
Ingredients
- Tamarind: Freshly extracted pulp. Feel free to use store-bought tamarind pulp.
- Spices: Ginger powder, cumin powder, fennel seed powder, black salt, regular salt and chilli powder.
- Sweetener: I have used jaggery powder. Feel free to use jaggery block.
- Liquids: Water to cook chutney.
How to make sweet tamarind chutney?
In a pan add the tamarind pulp and water.
Now add the jaggery and mix well and bring the mixture to a boil on medium heat stirring regularly.
Now add the ginger powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, fennel seeds powder, black salt and regular salt.
On medium heat, boil the mixture stirring regularly until it starts to thicken.
Once the chutney reaches the desired consistency, turn the heat off.
Allow the chutney to cool down completely before serving. Store the remaining chutney in a clean airtight jar in the refrigerator.
Tips and Tricks
Soaking the tamarind in hot water for at least 10-15 minutes and squeezing as much as possible helps to extract the maximum pulp.
Consistency can be adjusted as per personal preference. For a thicker consistency, simmer longer until the sweet chutney reaches desired consistency. For pourable consistency, add more water.
I like my chutney to be of a medium-thick consistency. So, to check that consistency, just lift the spoon out of the pan and make sure it lightly coats the spoon.
Stir regularly to prevent the mixture from sticking to the base of the pan as it thickens.
Taste test and adjust spices and sweetener to suit your taste.
Substitutions
Dried tamarind is available at most South Asian or Indian grocery stores. I have used it to extract the pulp. Feel free to use tamarind paste instead. However, you may have to adjust spices and sweetener depending on the sourness of the paste.
Jaggery is an unrefined sugar made of sugarcane. Substitute it with sugar if it's not available in a nearby grocery store.
Storage
Tamarind chutney has a long shelf life and it must be stored in the fridge or freezer.
This imli ki meethi chutney can be stored in a clean jar in the fridge. It should last around 2 months if a clean and dry spoon is used every time to scoop out.
Consider freezing in portions for a longer shelf life.
Serving Suggestions
Imli ki meethi chutney is an essential sauce used in most of the chaats such as dahi puri chaat, masala puri chaat, chana chaat, bhel puri, pani puri, aloo tikki chaat.
Serve it as a dipping sauce for fried appetisers such as vegetable pakora, samosa, onion bhaji and bread vada.
FAQs
Allow the sweet tamarind sauce to cool down completely. Transfer it to a clean airtight jar and store in the fridge. Ensure to use a clean dry spoon to scoop out the required chutney whenever necessary. Alternatively, divide the chutney into required portions, pack it in a jar and store in the fridge. Use one jar at a time, ensure to finish it off in 2-3 days if you are unsure of using a clean dry spoon. The wet or unclean spoon results in the growth of bacteria over a period of time and spoils the chutney.
Yes, freezing is the best option for extended shelf life. Freeze in desired portions and thaw before using.
Chutney is an essential versatile condiment used as a side dish with a meal or as an accompaniment with appetisers or snacks. It is usually served to complement other dishes.
The term "chutney" originated in India and is now being used across the globe. Every region has its own version and way of making chutneys. However, in India chutneys are made with a wide variety of ingredients, mostly vegetables blended with herbs and spices.
Tomato chutney, carrot chutney, green mango chutney and bombay chutney are used as side dishes to go with idli, dosa, poori and chapati. Vankaya pachadi (eggplant chutney) and allam pachadi are a versatile dish that not only goes well with South Indian breakfast dishes - idli, dosa and chapati but also goes well with rice - dal or rice - dal rasam.
Unlike other chutneys, tamarind chutney and green chutney are not served as a side dish with a bowl of rice or other meal, they are rather used as a dipping sauce for appetisers and an essential part of chaat. Most of the chaats cannot be prepared without these chutneys and there's absolutely no substitute for these chutneys in chaats.
Sweet Tamarind Chutney for Chaats / Sweet Tamarind Sauce
Video
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon =15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 1 Cup Tamarind Pulp
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger Powder
- Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Black Salt
- 1 Cup Jaggery
- 1 Tablespoon Cumin Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Chilli Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Fennel seed Powder
- 1 Cup Water
Instructions
- In a pan add the tamarind pulp and water.1 Cup Jaggery
- Now add the jaggery and mix well and bring the mixture to a boil on medium heat stirring regularly
- Now add the ginger powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, fennel seeds powder, black salt and regular salt.1 Tablespoon Ginger Powder, 1 Tablespoon Black Salt, 1 Tablespoon Cumin Powder, 1 Tablespoon Chilli Powder, 1 Tablespoon Fennel seed Powder
- On medium heat, boil the mixture stirring regularly until it starts to thicken.Salt
- Once the chutney reaches the desired consistency, turn the heat off.
- Allow chutney to cool down completely before serving. Store remaining chutney in refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
KEEP IN TOUCH
KEEP IN TOUCH
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