Meetha Chutney | Sweet Chutney for Chaats | Khajur-Imli Chutney

Chaat is incomplete without Meetha Chutney and Green chutney which play a key role in elevating the taste of the chat. Meetha Chutney is also known as 'Meethi Saunth' and is mainly prepared with dates and tamarind, hence it is called as 'Khajur-Imli Chutney' or 'Date Tamarind chutney'. Most of my weekends, we indulge in at least one chat variety as we both are very fond of them. Golgappe appears quite frequently as a meal rather than as a chat at our place. Many of my friends like the Golgappe I prepare and I always get complements for it and few in fact even carry the Meetha chutney back home. When ever my MIL visits us, she asks me to prepare Golgappe at least once. Of course even if she does not ask, I know her preferences now and I would make it anyways.

The taste of any good chaat completely depends on the two chutneys we use in it - Meeti Saunth and Green Chutney, if these chutneys taste perfect it would make any Chat taste delicious. As I prepare chats quite often I usually make the chutneys in bulk. The process of preparing the Green chutney is simple and I prepare it at least once or twice in a month based on my consumption. Check out my recipe for Green Chutney which is a freezer friendly recipe and maintains its luscious green colour. The process of preparation of Meetha Chutney is a bit laborious so I usually prepare it in large quantities that last for at least a couple of months.

Meetha Chutney | Meethi Saunth | Date-Tamarind Chutney for Chaats:
Shelf life: 6-8 months when refrigerated
Prep time:15  mins | Cooking time:1.5 hrs | Total time:1hr 45mins
Cuisine: Indian | Category: Condiments - Accompaniments

Ingredients:

250 gms Tamarind

250 gms dry Dates(40-45 Kharjur)

500 gms Jaggery or Sugar

2 tsp Red chili powder

1 tbsp roasted Cumin powder 

1 tsp Garam Masala

2 tsp Kala Namak/Black Salt

1 tsp Dry Ginger powder

1 tsp Fennel seeds(Saunf) powder

Method:

• Clean and remove the extra fibres from tamarind and add 1 - 1.5 cups of water to it and pressure cook it for 2 whistles. Once the mixture becomes cool extract the tamarind pulp by discarding any extra fibres and skin. Alternatively you can soak it in warm water for 1/2 hr and extract the pulp. You can follow either ways which ever is comfortable for you.

• Pressure cook dry dates in 1 cup of water for 3-4 whistles.Cool them and remove the seeds from them.
• Grind the dates with the water which is used for pressure cooking them to a very smooth paste.

• In a heavy bottom pan add small pieces of jaagery(or sugar), ground dates paste and let it come to a boil. Add extracted tamarind pulp and keep it on medium flame and cook for 10-12 mins until the jaggery is completely melted.

• Add red chili powder, garam masala, roasted cumin powder, black salt, dry ginger powder and fennel seeds powder and mix well.
• Reduce the flame and cover it with a clean lid (just cover it 3/4th) as the mixture splutters and makes the kitchen counter messy.

• Let it cook for another 25-30 mins until the mixture becomes very thick. Keep stirring it in between once in a while, take care when you open the lid the mixture might splutter on your hands. I personally prefer to taste the mixture in between and if I need to season it a bit I would add according to my preferences.
• If the mixture is not thickened enough, let it cook for some more time until you get the desired consistency. I personally prefer to make the mixture this chutney very thick almost to the consistency of Jam as this way you can store this chutney for long. As I prepare this in big batch, it would easily last for couple of months for me.You can easily store it for more than six months.
• Cool the mixture completely for 3-4 hours. Store it in sterilized Glass bottles or air tight bottles in refrigerator.
• When required, scoop out required portion using a clean spoon and dilute it with water to get the required consistency.

Serve the chutney with any snack/cutlets/pakoras or use it in any Chaats as required.

Notes:

1. Do the process bit careful as we are going to store it for long. Make sure that no water droplets would fall in the chutney.
2. Always cover the kadai just 3/4th as the mixture will keep bubbling after certain stage and makes teh kitchen counter messy and also be careful while stirring it. It might cause blisters if it falls on the skin.
3. This chutney should be prepared bit on a more sweeter side,hence when you taste it would be very sweet but is apt to use it for chaats and snacks.
4. You can use either Jaggery or sugar in the recipe, though personally I prefer to use jaggery.
5. If it is prepared carefully and maintain the consistency of Jam you can easily store it for over an year which makes it quite comfortable to use in chaats when required.

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