Imli Chatni
(Tamarind Chutney) Recipe

Origin: North India      Period: Traditional

Ingredients:

Chutney is an English version of the Hindi word 'chatni', pronounced as chutni. The word 'chatna' means 'to lick' and represents the lip-smacking sound made on eating something tasty. he original Indian chatni is a mix of uncooked fruit (raw mango/apple/other fruits), green chillies, herbs like coriander and mint, a few spices, lemon or vinegar or tamarind, sometimes sugar, all ground together to make a paste. In Britain and the West this original idea was adapted to mean a spicy preserve/condiment, where fruit or vegetables have been cooked in vinegar, with spices and sugar, and then bottled.

400g tamarind pulp (the semi-dry variety containing stones and skins is best)
1l hot water (about)
1 tsp cooking oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
generous pinch of asafoetida powder
6 tsp salt
100g jaggery (or palm sugar or muscovado sugar)
1tsp chilli powder
2 tsp powdered roasted cumin seeds
2 tsp garam masala

Imli Chatni
(Tamarind Chutney) Preparation:

Method:

Break the tamarind pulp into a bowl, cover with the hot water and set aside for 2 hours. After this time mash and squeeze the tamarind pulp with your hands to extract as much flavour as possible from it. Strain through a sieve and discard the skins and seeds.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds and asafoetida powder. When the seeds splutter and release their aroma add the strained tamarind pulp and stir-in all the remaining ingredients (except the garam masalt).

Bring to a brisk and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring all the while. Taste and add more jaggery or sugar if it's too sour. Add the garam masala, take off the heat and allow to cool before lading the mixture into sterilized jars that have been warmed in an oven set to 100°C for 5 minutes. Allow 1cm of head space then secure the lid, allow to cool and store.

This will keep for a month or more in the fridge. Or you can freeze, where it will keep indefinitely.

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