Tamarind Date Chutney Recipe

Tamarind Date Chutney is a sweet and sour sauce that’s perfect for dipping or drizzling. Use it on samosas, pakoras, paneer tikka and all your favorite Indian street foods.

Heeeyyyy my fellow chaat fanatics! I’m bringing you a chaat food essential today- tamarind date chutney!

This sweet and sour chutney is used on everything from samosas, aloo tikki, bhel puri to ragda and pakoras. That’s why I always keep a big batch in my freezer.

Yes, I am ALWAYS ready for some chaat food! It’s my favorite kind of Mumbai street food.

Indians sometimes refer to this tamarind date chutney as khajur imli chutney or sweet chutney but the tamarind makes it tangy too.

Because it’s often paired with the contrasting spicy cilantro chutney or green chutney, it is referred to as the “sweet” chutney.

Ingredients for Tamarind Date Chutney

Besides dates and tamarind, this chutney is also made with jaggery, ground coriander and cumin, and dry ginger powder. Red chili powder can be added for a little extra kick but is not necessary.

You can use regular dates or Medjool dates for this recipe. I love the natural sweetness of Medjool dates and use them in my healthy dessert recipes.

I have used both before in this date chutney but I find Medjool dates to be sweeter. If I use them I will often scale back on the jaggery.

For this recipe, I have also used homemade tamarind paste but you can buy tamarind paste or use seedless tamarind sold in blocks. See the recipe notes for using seedless tamarind.

How to Make Tamarind Date Chutney

To make sweet chutney, add the dates and water to a pot, bring to a boil, and simmer until the dates become soft. This should take 8-10 minutes.

Then add the jaggery and spices and let it all melt and become thick. Let it cool and run it through a blender until it becomes smooth.

Transfer it to a bowl and add the tamarind paste. This is where you need to be careful! Tamarind paste can come in different strengths depending on the brand.

Be sure to add it little by little and adjust according to your taste. You may not need the full amount, especially with store bought concentrates.

If you still see bits of dates, press the mixture through a sieve. Just prior to serving, you can adjust the consistency by adding water.

You will want it thicker for samosa chutney and thinner for something like bhel puri.

How to Store Tamarind Date Chutney

Store the chutney in a glass jar or air tight container in your refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze it for up to three months.

I like to freeze it in a large freezer bag in a flat layer so I can just break off the amount I need without defrosting all of it.