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The thought
of the word tamarind and the sourness brings water to the mouth. Tamarind carries
back memories of childhood days. There was a girl in our class who used to
bring the tamarind pods to the class. She used to hide and keep them in her bag
and how our group waited for the bell to ring for the short break. We – the small
kids -- would run out with the tamarind pods and then break open the pods with
the help of a stone – hit hit hit and the pod breaks, the sour fruit comes out
and then in they go into the mouth. Why was it that the sourness was not felt
then but now -- simply can’t do this act again? Age has done its job and the tamarind
has got its place in the kitchen to be used for so many dishes.
I also
remember how we collected the tamarind seeds and played 'counting-counting' with
it. The seeds were discarded and the fleshy part made into achaar/pickle that
was kept in a safe place from the children so that it would last at least a
year. But now who takes pain in making such tasty achaar at home? Not even me.
The thought of it brings nightmares.
Making
tamarind chutney at home is a simple affair. The seedless ones and those with
seeds are available in the market, use any of them.
To make the
chutney:
Need:
Tamarind:
100 gms
Sugar or Gur
(Jaggery): adjust as per your taste -- more if you like it a bit sweet & less
sour
Salt: to taste
Cooking
oil: ½ tsp.
2-3 dried
red chillies broken into half
½ tsp. red chilli powder
Haldi
powder: a pinch
Next
Soak about
half a cup of tamarind (with or without seeds) in 1 ½ cups of water for about
20-25 minutes.
Next squash
the tamarind in the soaked water and take out the juice. Squeeze the solid
portion and separate it from the tamarind juice.
Keep this
liquid and start cooking.
Place a
kadhai/wok on the gas stove.
To this add
½ a tsp. of cooking oil.
Once the
oil is hot throw in the red chillies.
As the
chillies start giving out the strong smell add the tamarind juice. Let the
liquid start boiling. To this add salt, haldi powder and the gur or sugar and
cook till you find the chutney thickening. Lastly add the chilli powder, this gives
the chutney Hot, Sweet and Sour taste.
The chutney
should not be too thick nor too thin (not running). Before switching off the
gas taste it to find if the sweetness is properly balanced.
Can store
it in the fridge for many days and relish when you want.
© gouriguha
2013
yummy sweet and tangy imli chutney.
ReplyDeleteSweet little comment and thanks for it.
Deleteyummy n delicious..
ReplyDeleteThanks Divya.
DeleteGouridi ... kemon acho? Onek din por ashte parlam ... eyi chaatni ta ajkei banabo. Aaj ratre phuchka plan hocche ... eyi ta diye darun chaat hobe! Ami ektu bhaja jeere powder o add korbo. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi dear, khoob bhalo laglo comment ta pore.Aami bhalo acchi. aee chutney te majhe majhe jeera and methi bhaja powder di. Even dal bhat aar bhajar saathe khete khoob bhalo lage.
DeleteLove,
Gouri :)
Gouri di ... bolte elam ... enjoyed your chatni. :-)
Deletecan this preparation be kept without keeping in the fridge n just keeping in normal temperature or dried in the sun like other aachar's?
Deleteennu, nice to read your comment. This as all I can tell you...
DeleteAs this is a chutney and in liquid form this will get moulds if it is kept outside for a long time. A couple of days doesn't matter. This is also a dip that goes well with bhajjias/fried fritters (different kinds).
Speaking of achar, you have to use the solid part of the tamarind...with or without seeds. It needs to be dried out in the sun, like mango and other achaars, for 2-3 days and then add the ground masala, some oil, salt and gur with it and again put out in the sun for all the ingredients to mix up properly with one another. And then store it in jars and enjoy not only for days but months...till the stock exhausts.
Gouri :)