Tamarind Date Chutney (Saunth)

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup Seedless tamarind pulp
• 0.5 cup Pitted dates, chopped
• 0.75 cup Jaggery (or brown sugar)
• 2 cups Water
• 1 teaspoon Ginger powder (Saunth)
• 1 teaspoon Roasted cumin powder
• 0.5 teaspoon Red chili powder
• 0.5 teaspoon Black salt (Kala Namak)
• 0.5 teaspoon Fennel seeds, crushed(optional)
• 0.25 teaspoon Salt

Instructions

1. 1

   In a medium saucepan, combine the tamarind pulp, chopped dates, and 2 cups of water.

2. 2

   Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then simmer for 10-12 minutes until the dates are soft.

3. 3

   Add the jaggery to the pan and stir until completely dissolved and the mixture begins to thicken slightly.

4. 4

   Remove the pan from heat and allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes.

5. 5

   Transfer the mixture to a blender and process until completely smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove fibers.

6. 6

   Return the strained liquid to the saucepan and stir in the ginger powder, cumin powder, chili powder, black salt, and regular salt.

7. 7

   Simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes until the chutney reaches a syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.

8. 8

   Allow the chutney to cool completely before storing in a glass jar; it will thicken further as it cools.