Tamarind Chutney, or imli Ki Chutney as it is called in Urdu, is a favorite pairing with pakoras / fritters in Ramadan. I love making my own and freezing some as part of my Ramadan and or regular meal prep. That way, I have homemade imli ki chutney ready and available whenever I need it.
How to make tamarind or Imli ki chutney
Boil: The very first step to make this imli ki chutney is to boil the block of seedless tamarind in some water. Seedless tamarind blocks are available at most Pakistani/Indian grocery stores.
Strain: Once boiled, the pulp is passed through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the pulp and continue to season the tamarind juice. You can thin it out some more or leave it be. I tend to prefer it thicker so that it is easily picked up with pakoras.
Season: The seasoning is simple with salt, red chili powder and cumin and sugar. You can add chaat masala but I often omit that. My chutney is also not as sweet as most tamarind chutneys but you can adjust the sweetness to your preference.
Imli Ki Chutney
Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz.) packet seedless tamarind block
- 2 teaspoons red chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/3 cup coconut / raw cane sugar
- Water
Instructions
- Dredge the tamarind block in enough water to cover it fully.
- Boil on low heat till it is becomes soft and pasty about 30 -45 minutes breaking apart as it cooks.
- Once done, let cool and squeeze out the juice by straining it through a fine mesh sieve.
- You will get about 2 cups of juice. You can add more 1/2 cup of additional water depending on the consistency you prefer. I like it thick so that's enough for me.
- Season and enjoy with fritters, chaat and other savories.
Notes
- This recipe is a great one to prep ahead. You can keep the chutney in an air tight jar in the fridge for up to 4 weeks and in the freezer for much longer.
- Use an ice cube tray to freeze individual servings and only defrost as much as you need. I freeze in king cube silicon trays and defrost 2-3 cubes depending on how much I need.
I hope you enjoy this recipe. It can be used in so versatile and can be enjoyed in so many different ways, as a condiment for pakoras (gram flour fritters), samosas and drizzled on top of chaats and so much more!
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