Tamarind Chutney (Imli Chutney)

You are going to want to dip everything into this sweet tamarind chutney!

What is Tamarind Chutney?

Tamarind chutney is sweet and spicy and tart! It’s the perfect dipping sauce to serve with fried Indian snacks like pakoras or samosas.

I’ve already shared my recipe for Cilantro Mint Chutney here on the blog and so it’s about time I share this tamarind chutney recipe as well. After all, these two chutneys are always served together. I’d say these are two of the most popular chutneys out there. You can see I’m serving them both below with my Gluten-Free Samosa.

“This is the sixth tamarind chutney recipe I have tried…and I can finally stop searching for the ideal version. When I make chicken tacos, this is my secret topping that everyone asks about. The uses for this chutney are endless. Thank you for the recipe. Simply stunning in flavour.”

Mark

“Indian Sweet and Sour Sauce”

I like to think of tamarind chutney as being the Indian version of “sweet and sour” sauce (you know, the kind you can get at fast-food restaurants…). I know some of you are like “oh no, Ashley did NOT just compare tamarind chutney to McD’s sweet and sour sauce” but you guys, I did say it’s the Indian version of it! It has plenty of tangy tamarind flavor, a good amount of sugar to balance out the tartness, and a bit of cayenne to give the sauce some heat. Also, I think it’d be delicious served with chicken nuggets… just saying.

Does anyone else refer to tamarind chutney as “red chutney?” I’ve been calling it that since I was a kid… I have definitely heard people refer to cilantro-mint chutney as green chutney but now I’m not so sure that I’ve heard anyone else refer to tamarind chutney as red chutney? Does anyone else call it red chutney? I need to know…

More chutney observations (because I spend too much time thinking about food…): I think there are – for the most part – two types of people out there: the red chutney folks and the green chutney folks. The red chutney folks use a heavy hand when drizzling tamarind chutney on their plates then add a light drizzle of green chutney. The green chutney folks do the opposite. I am a red chutney girl through and through. I like all things sweet and tangy with just the tiniest bit of heat. My husband is a green chutney guy and likes all things spicy to the max.

So I have to know… what kind of “chutney person” are you? Man, that would be a good interview question. The right “interview answer” would obviously be something really obscure/unique that I haven’t thought of yet… I don’t even know.

Anyway, enjoy this tangy tamarind chutney and serve it with anything and everything!

Tamarind Chutney (Imli Chutney)

Tamarind Chutney (Imli Chutney)

5 from 19 reviews

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Ingredients

 

• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ 1 cup sugar jaggery or coconut sugar, to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cayenne

Instructions

 

• In a dry skillet, add cumin seeds and fennel seeds and stir-fry until brown and fragrant. Grind these spices in a spice blender.
• Combine all of the ingredients, including the freshly ground cumin and fennel, in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Cook for 20-25 minutes or until the chutney has slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon. You will want to stir occasionally during this time.
• Allow the mixture to cool down, strain the liquid through a strainer, then serve.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week or put it in the freezer for longer storage.

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