‘Imli’ or Tamarind is a super sour flavoring ingredient. This recipe uses a LOT of it and balances that sourness out with some heat from spices and sweetness from dates (or other sweeteners). The overall hit of flavor is definitely sweet and tangy with a bit of heat in there. No Pakistani/Indian Chaat is complete without imli chutney, oh and neither is the ever-so-popular dahi bhalley (or baray). It can last for months in the fridge and more so in the freezer!
Ingredients/Substitutes
This recipe needs very few ingredients but you might be unfamiliar with them. Let’s talk about it.
Tamarind (Imli)- This is the main ingredient of the chutney and therefore a must. The most easily available tamarind is in these 3 forms: Tamarind block with seeds Tamarind block without seeds Tamarind PasteThe paste is a ready-to-use option where no real cooking is needed. While the block tamarind takes a little bit of time to extract the tamarind concentrate. I’ve mentioned how to use both in the recipe Sweetener – The sweetness comes from the dates in this recipe. It adds a layer of flavor depth that regular sugar does not. I used organic date syrup available at my local grocery store. But worry not, if you can’t get your hands on that, get date paste instead OR make your paste at home with whole dates. However, dates aren’t compulsory to use in the recipe. Use any sweetener of your liking: Regular white sugar Brown sugar or molasses Coconut sugar Artificial sweeteners like stevia Honey A combination of these sweeteners. Salt, spices – The flavoring in this recipe comes from roasted cumin, coriander, and red chilies. Also known as the DAHI BARA spice mix. You can make your own spice mix or buy a boxed dahi bara spice blend at your local Asian grocery store. Optional Ingredients – Asafoetida (hing) and dry ginger powder (saunth) are also 2 commonly used ingredients in tamarind chutney. Add a pinch of Asafoetida and 1/2 tsp of ginger powder to add another layer of flavor.
NOTE: Asafoetida has a very strong aroma and taste, so if you’ve never tried it or added it to your food, it’s best to avoid it with this chutney. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Step-by-Step Instructions
I’ve put together all the steps in a simple pictorial for you to see how easy this is to make. You can skip steps 1- 4 if you are using ready-to-use tamarind paste for this recipe. IMPORTANT: Always test the water temperature first before dipping your hands into it to squeeze out the juices from the tamarind block. You can also repeat step 4 as much as you like if you feel there is more tamarind juice to be extracted, all your water will cook down eventually. Allow your chutney to cool down and store them in airtight glass jars in the fridge. Go ahead and enjoy it as you like!
Expert Tips
Always use a glass jar to store condiments. Make sure your jar or storage bags are dry before pouring your chutney in it. Don’t overcook the chutney to get a thicker consistency. You may end up burning it. Instead, let the chutney air dry while it cools. It’ll thicken up considerably. Always use a clean dry spoon whenever using the chutney from the fridge. The chutney tends to boil like rice does, so make sure your chutney water only reaches up to 3 quarters of your saucepan and there is enough room for the chutney to rise while it boils.
Serving Suggestions
Like I said, this imli ki chutney works as a topping sauce or a dipping sauce with a LOT of snacks and mains. Here are some ideas:
On dahi bara (fried lentil fritters in yogurt) With mix chaats like Papri Chaat (mix chickpea, veggies and yogurt) Perfect to pair with bbqs like chicken tikka etc Use as the sweet chutney for pani puris I would totally give this as favor to my non-desi folks to try it out. On paratha rolls, sandwiches, or wraps. With Indian/Pakistani fried snacks like pakoras, kachori samosas, etc.
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Do you have any questions? I’m happy to help! And of course, If you try this recipe, I’d loveeeee to see it or simply hear about it! Hit me up in the comment section below and I’ll get back to asap! Happy Cooking!
