Tamarind Chutney

I made this spicy South Indian tamarind chutney in preparation for this tamarind rice dish. It comes from Dakshin by Chandra Padmanabhan, a lavishly illustrated and informative cookbook focusing on traditional fiery vegetarian Indian dishes from the South. Dal and rice dishes are nicely balanced with vegetable creations, condiments, sweets and snacks and essential spice powders. Included is a helpful glossary of ingredients and cooking terminology common to Indian Cuisine. I borrowed a copy from the library based on a recommendation from the lovely Zlamushka a while back, and after trying a few dishes, immediately purchased a copy. It's quickly become one of my favorite Indian cookbooks.

This recipe is easy to prepare, but there are quite a few steps, so I would suggest making this when you can afford to spend some quality time in the kitchen. This will keep for a few weeks if stored in the fridge in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Other possible uses are mixing in a few tablespoons to plain basmati rice, or serving with Indian savories.

Tamarind Chutney


an orange-sized piece of tamarind pulp
3 cups of hot water
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric
2 tablespoons of jaggery (I used rapadura sugar)

For the Masala:

2 tablespoons of sesame oil
1/2 cup of coriander seeds
8 dried red chilies
1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida powder
1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon of brown or black mustard seeds
1 tablespoon of yellow split peas or chana dal, rinsed
1 tablespoon of urad dal, rinsed
a handful of dried curry leaves

Garnish:

1/2 cup of white sesame seeds
1/3 cup of dried coconut

For Tempering:

2 tablespoons of sesame oil
10 dried red chilies
2 teaspoons of brown or black mustard seeds
1 tablespoon of yellow split peas or chana dal, rinsed
small handful of dried curry leaves

Soak the tamarind in 3 cups of hot water for about 20 minutes. Strain the tamarind water into another bowl, and squeeze as much liquid as you can from the tamarind pulp. Throw the pulp away and set the tamarind water aside.

To make the masala, heat two tablespoons of oil in a heavy frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the coriander seeds, red chilies, asafoetida powder, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, the chana dal, urad dal, and the curry leaves. Stir and fry for 3 - 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.

For the garnish, dry roast the sesame seeds and coconut for 5 minutes on medium heat in a heavy saucepan. Transfer to a blender and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.

For tempering, heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a heavy medium size saucepan. When hot, add the red chilies and stir and fry until they turn dark brown. Add the mustard seeds, chana dal and the curry leaves. When the mustard seeds turn grey and begin to pop, add the tamarind juice, salt, turmeric and sugar. Simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is reduced and the mixture begins to thicken - roughly 30 - 45 minutes. Stir in the masala powder until well blended. Add a few heaping tablespoons of the garnish powder and mix well.

Save the remaining garnishing powder for the tamarind rice.

Yields approximately 1 1/2 cups of chutney.

Other tempting chutney recipes from Lisa's Kitchen:
Yamuna's Fresh Coriander Chutney
Coconut and Mint Chtuney
Quick and Easy Tomato Chutney
Toasted Coconut and Tomato Chutney