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This Indian condiment balances tangy, sweet, and sour flavors. Indian restaurants usually serve Tamarind and Date Chutney (or Imli chutney) with papadum, samosa, and chaat (savory snacks).

Getting a spoonful of tamarind and date chutney out of a small container

This vegan and gluten-free sauce uses sweet, juicy dates, tamarind paste (more on this below), and spices. The sauce tastes rich on its own but pairs perfectly with the Lentil Dal Curry Samosa (picture below) that I made last week.

Table of contents

Ingredients

  • Water
  • Tamarind paste

  • Dates
  • Granulated sugar
  • Fennel seeds

  • Cumin

  • Ginger
A drizzle of tamarind and date chutney over half of a lentil curry samosa

Jaggery

Jaggery, a really sweet natural cane sugar from India, traditionally sweetens the chutney. Since jaggery is hard to find, granulated (caster) sugar works just as well.

What is  chutney? 

Chutney is a savory condiment from India. It is a cooked sauce made with fruit and spices.

A small copper pan filled with dark brown tamarind date chutney

Dates in Indian chutney

Dates are a delicious and natural way to add sweetness and texture. Medjool dates (my favorite to snack on) are large and very soft, which enables them to melt into the sauce easily.

What is tamarind paste?

Let’s talk about tamarind paste. Tamarind (Imli in Hindi) grows on trees and comes from a pod. Indian and Thai cooking both use it widely. People soak the fruit pulp in boiling water, then strain it. Since tamarind pods are hard to find, I find it easier to buy the paste online.

Spice level

This condiment is not spicy at all. To add a kick, you can add a little red kashmiral powder or cayenne pepper.

If you’ve made this Tamarind and Date Indian Chutney, please leave a comment below. If you have a question, leave it there too. I love to hear from my readers!

Yield: 4 servings

Tamarind and Date Indian Chutney

A spoon inside a small pot of tamarind and date chutney

A little sweet, tangy and sour. This Indian condiment made with tamarind paste, dates and spices are perfect to serve with samosa.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (472 ml) water
  • ½ cup (130 grams) seedless tamarind paste

  • 6 seedless dates
  • 
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) granulated sugar
  • 
½ teaspoon fennel seeds

  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or ½ teaspoon dried ginger)

Instructions

  1. To a pan, add all of the ingredients and stir.
  2. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the liquid is almost reduced. Allow to cool, then blend until smooth.

Notes

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 70Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 5mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 2gSugar 13gProtein 1g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

© Janette
Cuisine: Indian / Category: Sauces