Tamarind Chutney - Healthy Snack Recipes

Tamarind chutney, unforgettably delicious and healthy snack recipes, is considered the ketchup of the east...

It is sweet, tangy, sour, and hot all at the same time. It is used in several dishes including rice and Indian flat breads like rotis and parathas...

Tamarind chutney is particularly tasty with mini puffed flatbreads, called gol gappa. It also works as a salad dressing for yogurt salads (raitas) and kachumber salad (cucumber, tomato, cilantro, and onion).

The refreshing taste of Tamarind fruit is widely popular in South India and there are several references to it in ancient Tamil literature. Tamarind also features in some Ayurvedic literature, including Vagbhata's Astangahrdaya, dating to 600 AD. Try out this ancient fruit in its tangy, savory chutney form!

INGREDIENTS

400 grams or 1 packet of dry tamarind pulp, with stones and skins intact. This gives better results than the ready-made extracted tamarind juice / sauce in bottles.

1/2 litre hot water. The amount of water needed depends on the quality of tamarind. Some varieties have more pulp than others and need more water.

1 tsp. cooking oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
A pinch of asafaetida powder
2 tsp roasted cumin powder *
6-7 tsp. salt ** You can also try black salt, which gives a much nice flavour
50 g. Jaggery or brown sugar or muscovado sugar **
1 tsp. chilli powder **

1-2 tsp. Garam Masala
* Dry roast 1 tsp. cumin seeds on a griddle and grind them roughly, using a rolling pin or mortar and pestle. A cook blitz in the coffee grinder will also work)

** These items can be adjusted during cooking, according to taste.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Break the tamarind into small pieces and soak in boiling water for one hour.

2. Mash and squeeze the pulp out to separate seeds and skins. You can wear gloves to do this.

3. Strain it through a colander or sieve until you have a thick, smooth pulp. Discard stones and skins / fibre.

4. Heat oil in pan.

5. Add cumin seeds and asafetida powder. When seeds splutter, add tamarind pulp and all other ingredients. Allow the mixture to boil briskly stirring it frequently.

6. Add salt , jaggery or sugar and chilies according to taste. Tamarind is usually very sharp and may need a lot more extra sugar. Adjust it according to taste.

7. Add garam masala, stir it and take it off the heat. Allow to cool.

8. Pour in airtight bottles or jam jars. It lasts well in the fridge for a few months. You can refrigerate the chutney for two to three months.

SERVING SUGGESTION

Tamarind chutney is one of healthy snack recipes you can serve as a sauce for delicious finger foods like samosas, pakoras, gol gappa, or any kind of chat. It can also be used as a dip for French fries, as a spread over crackers, or a rice dish, and a veggie dip.

VARIATIONS

-- To prepare it as a dip, thick chutney is ideal. To prepare it as a topping, add water to make the chutney thinner.

-- Add water and ice cubes to serve as a cool spicy drink during summer.

-- Add equal parts yogurt and chutney to make a dipping sauce.

-- Try pouring over rice to add a unique flavor to plain rice.

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