Preserve the harvest · Sweet preserves 3 of 3
Tamarind chutney
The sweet-sour chutney drizzled over samosas and chaat. Dates bring the sweetness, tamarind brings the tang, and the spices tie it together. It's also great on a holiday cheese board.
Warda PatelDreamDrop Gardens, Plano TX4 min readUpdated November 2026
The recipe
Sweet · 3 of 3
Sweet, sour & spiced
Tamarind chutney
The sweet-sour chutney drizzled over samosas and chaat. Dates bring the sweetness, tamarind brings the tang, and the spices tie it together. It's also great on a holiday cheese board.
- Makes
- About 1½ cups
- Time
- 45 min
- Keeps
- 1 month in the fridge · freeze in cubes
Ingredients
- ½ cupseedless tamarind block, packed (about 75 g)
- 1 cuppitted dates (about 150 g)
- 3 cupswater, divided
- ½ cupgrated jaggery or brown sugar, to taste
- 1 tsproasted cumin powder
- ½ tspKashmiri red chili powder
- ½ tspdry ginger powder (sonth)
- ½ tspblack salt (kala namak), plus regular salt to taste
- Optional½ tsp fennel powder or a pinch of garam masala
Method
Step 1: Soak
Soak the tamarind and dates in 2 cups of hot water for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Simmer
Simmer for about 10 minutes until everything is very soft.
Step 3: Blend and strain
Blend smooth, then press through a sieve to remove fibers. Use the last cup of water to rinse out the sieve and loosen the pulp.
Step 4: Season
Return to the pot with the jaggery and spices. Simmer 10–15 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. It thickens as it cools.
Step 5: Balance
Taste: it should be sweet, sour and a little salty all at once. Adjust with jaggery, black salt or a squeeze of lemon.
A note on safety
These recipes are made to be kept in the fridge or freezer. To store jars at room temperature, use a tested water-bath canning recipe, such as those from the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and follow it exactly. Never keep garlic or herbs in oil at room temperature, use clean jars and dry spoons, and when in doubt, throw it out.