Tamarind Chutney Recipe (Sweet Imli Chutney)
Tamarind Chutney is a sweet, tangy condiment originating from Indian cuisine, made by simmering tamarind pulp with jaggery, spices & dried ginger, creating a smooth, flavorful sauce that is commonly drizzled over chaats, snacks and fried delicacies. Also known as Imli Chutney (‘imli’ is the Hindi word for tamarind) this sauce is quintessential when it comes to Indian chaat or fried snacking scene. I mean you actually can’t imagine any of those scrumptious chaat snacks or Samosa, Pakoda, Kachori, etc. without it!
About Tamarind Chutney Recipe
On this post, I have shared one of the easiest ways of making the simple, basic Tamarind Chutney recipes.
The first recipe is a family recipe and is absolutely finger-licking tasty. We also call this Imli Chutney as ‘saunth or soonth chutney’ as it is spiced with dried ginger powder.
Dried ginger roots or dried ginger powder is referred to as ‘saunth or soonth’ in Hindi. Hence, the name of this condiment.
Like I said, this Tamarind Chutney is often used in Indian chaat snacks like Dahi Vada, Bhel Puri, Sev Puri, Katori Chaat etc in combination with Green Chutney and Red Garlic Chutney. It is also served as a dipping sauce with samosa, kachori, aloo tikki, pakora and the likes.
We always make this Imli Chutney with dried tamarind which is easily available in India. If you live outside India, then you can purchase it on Amazon, from an Asian or Indian grocery store.
You can use tamarind paste or concentrate as well, for this chutney. Adjust the quantity of water and jaggery, as per the sourness of the paste or concentrate.
The consistency of this Tamarind Chutney is slightly thick with a smooth texture. It has the sourness of tamarind balanced with the sweetness of the jaggery (Indian unrefined sugar made from sugarcane juice) and the earthiness and mild hotness of the dried ginger powder, cumin seeds and red chili powder.
This Imli Chutney can be stored in an air-tight bottle in the refrigerator. It stays good for 4 to 5 months.
Alternative Ingredients
There are a few alternatives that you can use to sweeten or souring this particular Tamarind Chutney. I have mentioned them below:
- Jaggery: Jaggery is unrefined sugar made from sugarcane juice. If you cannot source jaggery, then add sugar. However, with sugar, the taste will be slightly different. You can easily add about ½ cup of sugar. If required, more sugar can be added.
- Tamarind: Dried tamarind is easily available in India. If you don’t have dried tamarind, then use ½ cup of tamarind paste or concentrate. Depending on the tartness of this, you will have to adjust the quantity of water and jaggery.
How to make Tamarind Chutney
Make Tamarind Pulp
1. Soak ½ cup tightly packed seedless tamarind in 1.75 cups water overnight or for 4 to 5 hours.
2. With clean fingers, squeeze the pulp from the tamarind in the same bowl or pan containing the water. Strain the pulp if you prefer and set it aside.
Remove the seeds and trash them.
Make Tamarind Chutney
3. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in small pan. Fry ½ teaspoon cumin seeds first. Keep the heat to low.
Add the spice powders – ½ teaspoon dried ginger powder, 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) and ¼ teaspoon red chili powder. Mix well.
4. Next, add the prepared tamarind pulp. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add ½ cup chopped jaggery and salt as required. Mix well and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or till the consistency thickens.
You could also use ½ cup of jaggery powder.
The consistency of the chutney can be easily altered by using less or more water. So while soaking tamarind you can add slightly less or more water.
6. Once cooled, store the Tamarind Chutney in an air-tight dry jar or container. Refrigerate and serve whenever required.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
You can relish and savor this yum Imli Chutney in a variety of ways. Some of them are as:
- Dipping sauce: Serve this chutney as a side condiment dip with Indian snacks like pakoda, samosa, kachori, Aloo Tikki, etc. In fact, even with potato wedges or French fries, this chutney pairs fabulously.
- Topping or mixing sauce: You can even use it as a topping sauce for chaat snacks like dahi vada, sev puri, pani puri, Dahi Puri, bhel puri or any other similar dishes.
- Storing Chutney: The chutney keeps well for about a week in the refrigreated. You could make a bulk of the chutney by scaling the recipe up and freeze it for a few months. Thaw chutney before using.
Expert Tips
- Quality: Use fresh ingredients. Avoid using aged tamarind as the taste will be very different with aged tamarind and the color will be very dark too.
- Using Tamarind Paste: The chutney can be made with premade store brought tamarind paste. But remember to dilute the paste with water to get the right consistency.
- Consistency: The consistency of this chutney can be changed easily. Simply alter the quantity of water and you can make it slightly thin or thick as per your requirements.
- Gluten free chutney: Skip asafoetida for a gluten-free tamarind sauce.
- Adding Sweeteners: You may need to add more jaggery or sugar depending on the tartness of the tamarind.
- Storage: You can easily store this chutney in the refrigerator for about a week. You can even freeze it to last longer for a couple of months. Simply thaw before using.
- Scaling: This recipe can easily be halved or doubled.
About Tamarind Dates Chutney
I also share a very tasty recipe of this sweet chutney made with dates also called Imli Khajur Chutney (khajur is dates in Hindi).
This is an again an easy chutney that is made with tamarind, dates and jaggery and tastes so good.
I learnt this tamarind dates chutney in my cooking school and have been following the recipe since then.
This sweet chutney can be used for making chaat items like pani puri, bhel puri, sev puri, aloo tikki and even samosa or pakoras.
It is a one-stop chutney recipe solution for all your chaat and fried savory snacks.
This chutney recipe yields about 1.5 cups of chutney. Make it and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It stays good for about a couple of months.
Ingredients
- ½ cup tamarind – seedless and tightly packed
- ½ cup dates – seedless
- ½ cup jaggery powder or grated jaggery, adjust as per your taste
- 2 cups water or add as required
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder (saunth)
- ¼ or ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- black salt or pink salt or regular white salt, according to taste
Step-by-Step Method
1. In a pan, take the ½ cup of tightly packed seedless tamarind, ½ cup of seedless dates and 2 cups of water.
Cook without a lid for about 8 to 9 minutes on a low to medium-low heat. The tamarind and dates should soften.
2. Add ½ cup of jaggery powder or grated jaggery and mix well.
3. Let the jaggery dissolve and the mixture thicken a bit. Add ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder (saunth), ¼ or ½ teaspoon red chili powder and salt according to taste.
Mix well and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes more.
4. The chutney mixture is ready now. Let it cool.
5. In a blender or mixer-grinder, pour the entire chutney mixture. Grind or blend the chutney in a grinder till smooth. Add some water if needed while blending or grinding.
At this point for a flowing and slightly thin chutney, you could add more water.
If you prefer, you can strain the chutney through a strainer. Store the Sweet Tamarind Dates Chutney in airtight bowl or container in the refrigerator.
Add the sweet tangy Dates Chutney to the chaat or Indian snacks that you make at home. In the below photo the chutney is served as well as added to Ragda Patties – a popular Mumbai street food chaat snack.
You can also serve the Khajur Imli Chutney with snacks like Bread Pakora, Veg Cutlet, Hara Bhara Kabab, Aloo Pakora etc.
FAQs
What is Tamarind Chutney used for?
Tamarind Chutney is a flavorful Indian condiment with a perfect balance of sweetness, tanginess, and a hint of spice. It is served with chaats like pani puri, samosa chaat, aloo tikki and dahi vada. It also pairs well with samosas, pakoras, kachoris and parathas. Additionally, it can be used as a dipping sauce or drizzled over snacks to enhance their flavor.
How long does Tamarind Chutney last?
When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this chutney can last up to a week. If frozen in small portions, it stays fresh for up to 3 months. To extend its shelf life, make sure to use clean, dry spoons when serving and avoid contamination.
How to make the best Tamarind Chutney?
To make the best Tamarind Chutney:
– Use good quality tamarind for a rich, tangy flavor.
– Balance the flavors by adding jaggery or sugar for sweetness, and spices like roasted cumin, dried ginger and black salt for depth.
– Strain the chutney to remove any fiber or tamarind seeds for a smooth consistency.
– Cook it well until slightly thickened; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
– Store properly in a clean, airtight container to retain its freshness.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Tamarind Chutney Recipe (Meethi Imli Chutney)
Ingredients
- ½ cup tamarind – tightly packed (imli), preferably without seeds
- 1.75 cups water or add as required
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger powder (saunth powder)
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ¼ teaspoon Red Chili Powder or cayenne pepper
- ½ cup chopped jaggery or as required – adjust as per your taste
- 1 teaspoon oil – any neutral tasting oil
- salt as required
Instructions
Making tamarind pulp
- Soak tamarind in water overnight or for 4 to 5 hours in a small bowl or pan. You can rinse the tamarind prior to soaking it.
- After the tamarind have softened, the pulp can be made. With clean fingers, squeeze, press and extract he pulp from the tamarind in the same bowl or pan containing the water.
- Strain the pulp if you prefer and set it aside. Remember to remove the seeds if any and trash them.
Making imli chutney
- Heat oil in a small frying pan.
- Lower the heat and add cumin seeds. Let them crackle.
- Next add ginger powder, red chili powder, asafoetida.
- Stir to mix the ground spices and add the strained tamarind pulp. Cook for 2 to 3 mins.
- Add the jaggery and salt and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or more until the consistency thickens.
- Let the Imli Chutney cool.
- When cooled, store the Tamarind Chutney in an air-tight dry jar or container. Refrigerate and serve whenever required with chaat or snacks.
Notes
- Consistency: You can change the consistency of the chutney as per your choice. Simply alter the amount of water (while soaking the tamarind) and make the imli chutney slightly thin or thick as per your requirements.
- Quality: Use fresh ingredients. Do not use aged tamarind as the taste of the chutney will be different and the color will be very dark.
- Scaling: This recipe can be doubled or tripled to make for a big batch.
- Gluten-free option: For a gluten-free sauce, skip asafoetida.
- Storage: You can easily store this tamarind chutney for about a week. You can even freeze it to last longer for a few months. Simply thaw before using.
Nutrition
Tamarind Chutney recipe from the blog archives was first published on November 2013.
Easy to make and delicious recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you.
Hello, I bought Rani tamarind paste from Amazon. Would this jarred paste equal the amount of fresh? Therefore, would I use the same amount of jar paste as fresh paste, ½ cup?
You can add about ⅓ cup of the tamarind paste. Make a thick to medium-thick sauce by adding water as needed. Also keep in mind to adjust the jaggery or sugar as needed. I think you will have to add more of the sweetener as packaged tamarind paste is usually highly concentrated and thick.
How to thicken the chutney?
You can simmer it for some more time on low heat.
Which chutney is better for golgappa , this one or the one with dates in it?
Both are good and will go well with golgappa. You can make according to the ingredients you have.
Can I put shakar in imli chatni
yes, you can use sugar (shakar).
Dassana ji.. I don’t have saunth or ginger powder. Can u please help tell how to make ginger powder and also substitute for this.
Regards
rupal, ginger powder is made with dried ginger. you can make at home but you need a really good mixer-grinder and dried ginger is difficult to grind. substitute for dried ginger in any recipe is fresh ginger. so in this imli chutney recipe, you can add 1 inch ginger. make a paste of it in a mortar-pestle or grate it and then after cumin seeds crackle, add the ginger paste. saute for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger goes away. then add red chilli powder, asafoetida. stir and add tamarind pulp. cook on a low flame so that the spice powders do not get burnt.
Thank you for your lovely recipes. My son loves the snacks I’ve made using your recipes.
I already have homemade tamarind paste. Can I use that for the chutney? If yes, how much of it should i use?
welcome and thanks for the feedback vaishnavi. yes, of course, you can use homemade tamarind paste. you can use half a cup of tamarind paste. in case you find the sourness less in chutney, you can add some more of the tamarind paste and cook further. later jaggery can be adjusted accordingly. hope this helps.
Dear Dassana,
Your receipies are very easy to follow, esp with the pictures and the dishes once cooked, tastes superb. I donot know cooking and I rely completely on your website to cook my daily meals.I fall short of words to thank you and God. Now you are an integral part of my existence…lol
thanks a lot anjana for this touching comment. felt so good to read it and i feel humbled too. thanks again and hugs.
What a great way to show recipes in pics, step by step!
May your blog flourish!
Thanks Priya for your best wishes.
Hi! Thanks for the recipe, I’m going to try it today, I have my tamarind soaking now. I do have one question: the part that say to squeeze the pulp from the tamarind, am I discarding any part of the tamarind soaking mixture? Is the goal to put the 1/2cup tamarind and 1/2 water that is was soaking in through a strainer then discard the stuff that wasn’t able to go through the strainer? Thank you!
welcome atourina. the tamarind will soften after soaking in water. so the pulp has to be squeezed in the palms and added directly in the water in which the tamarind was getting soaked. you just keep on squeezing till you the tamarind can no longer yield any pulp. then this squeezed tamarind flesh and fibres are discarded. hope this explanation helps.
Yes????????????????????????????????
Easy to make and can be used in all purpose of snacks
Thanks Sashwati for giving 5 star rating.
Excellent chutney …loved it !????????
Thanks Rachna
I loved this chutney…i specially make it for dahi wada and samosa….i always make fresh and use it…. can i store it for some more days? Like 10 or 15 days?
of course you can. it stays good for about a month. i usually prepare a batch of tamarind and dates chutney and keep it refrigerated. whenever i make chaat or pakoras or any snacks, the tamarind dates chutney comes in handy.
Hello,
Is there any substitute for jaggery(gur) as i live in Europe and here i have never seen it in any supermarket
john, you can use sugar if jaggery is not available. you can also use molasses instead of jaggery. but just keep a check on the sweet taste as with molasses the chutney can end up becoming more sweet. if you use sugar, then you can use the same amount as mentioned in the recipe for jaggery.
Hii dassana..i love your all receipes
thank you for your positive views barsa 🙂
This chutney is good for chats and turned out well… however, there is another chutney that is made with fresh ginger and jaggery I guess.. it has a spicy and sweet taste… it is called as allam chutney here.. it is generally served with idli and dosa in south indian restaurants…. could you please post the recipe for that if possible…
thankyou neha have taken your request down for allam chutney recipe on our file 🙂
i love your recipes ..veg recipes of India is the best site for Indian recipes …this recipe is awesome …trying it today …you post your recipes very well easy to understand and good for beginners too… well done dassana 🙂
thankyou so much tanu for your kind and positive words 🙂 pleased to know our food blog could help you.
This is a great recipe. I may play around with the spicing a little next time (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves) to better suit my tastes but this was delicious!
thankyou nigel glad to know you liked the saunth chutney. next time you could be more playful in spices 🙂
Oh yes…what a chutney this is and it has become a staple must have at all times, do not ever run out kind of thing for my fridge. Dassana, now that it is made I wonder can I use it as a cheat in the recipes that call for the addition of tamarind? I’m thinking throw a spoon or two of this in tiffin sambar for example instead of going through soaking tamarind, straining and what not?
My wife is a Vada monster and I use it to great affect in dahi Vada, as well as with pakodas, with samosas, with dhokla, with…….
thanks rohit. this is an all purpose chutney. i usually a make a good batch and keep in the fridge and it accompanies all the indian snacks so well. regarding adding in tiffin sambar, you will have to use it very judicially and carefully, so that the jaggery content in the chutney does not offset the balance in the sambar. try it and i feel it should work.
Love all your recipes. I’m a frequent visitor of your blog. The food recipes and the pics are simply awesome. Thank you! 🙂
welcome ameena. glad to know this.
it came out perfect thnk u sooo much!!!;-]
thanks riya.
I’ve made this twice. The second time I was in a hurry and I pulled the tamarind into pieces and soaked it in very hot water for under an hour. It squeezed out perfectly.
Also, I used fresh ginger instead of dried and cooked it with the jeera seed. Then mashed them both with a mortar and pestle with a bit of black salt before adding back to pan and then following the recipe exactly. It came out perfect! (I needed help at Indian grocery since no product had the words “jaggery” on the label. At my stored it is shown as “Punjabi sakkar” )
Thank you so much for the simple and delicious recipe!
thanks lisa for the feedback. like you have done, tamarind when soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, squeezes out very well. usually dry ginger is used. but even fresh ginger can be substituted. punjabi shakkar is ground jaggery.
Hi..
Can I use readymade tamarind paste for making this chutney?
yes you can. you just need to alter the other ingredients to suit the consistency and taste of the ready made tamarind paste.
wow itz my fav and thatz wat i was looking for …. it seems yummiiiiii ……. going to try soon…. 🙂
thanks geethanjali
Vary easy & tasty recipe
thanks varsha
Hi! Tried ur recipe today and it turned out awesome!! My husband loved it!!! Thank u!!!!!
welcome sonal
Hi, the recipe looks soo good and pics remind me of home with the panipuris in the background!. I have a question.. Can I use sugar instead of jaggery as I dont think I will be able to jaggery in Sydney anywhere. Also, if I can use sugar then how much.. Thanks, for the recipe my mouth is salivating wih the idea of chaat 🙂
thanks neha for appreciating the chutney recipe. yes, you can sugar instead of jaggery. but taste will be little different. amount of sugar depends upon sweetness of sugar and also on sourness of tamarind. so you can taste and add the sugar as required.
Nice…
Will try.
This is a must have in my kitchen whenever I plan to make chaat or bhel, I add sugar in place to Jaggery even though I know jaggery is healthy still I am unable to convince the taste buds of my picky family 🙂
I love this chutney a lot, its so tasty and flavorful cant think of chaat without thi so ne nicely made dear.
thanks janani