Tomato Ginger and Date Chutney
This tomato ginger and date chutney is a take on traditional Bengali tomato chutney. Full of health benefits from whole spices, this chutney packs a flavorful punch with sweet, sour and savory undertones.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes
- 2 teaspoon ginger minced or grated
- 4 seedless mejdool dates
- 1 teaspoon each Mustard seeds, Nigella seeds (Kalaunji), Fenugreek seeds (Methe), Cumin seeds (Jeera), Fennel seeds (saunf), and coriander seeds (dhaniya) See notes
- 1 tablespoon oil preferably mustard oil
- 1 dried red chili
- ¼ cup brown sugar or shakkar
- 2 tablespoon dried cranberries or raisins
- 1 teaspoon dry mango powder amchur
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Set a Cast Iron Pan on high heat. Add all the whole spices, one at a time, and dry roast them. Let cool.
- Coarsely grind the spices using a mortar and pestle or a Coffee Grinder.
- If using mustard oil, heat the Cast Iron Pan on high heat and heat the oil to smoke point and then turn the heat off. Let cool.
- Once the oil has cooled, turn the heat back on to medium high and add the dried red chili. Let it heat up for 10-15 seconds before adding grated ginger.
- Cook the ginger for about 30 seconds or until the raw smell goes away.
- Add 2 teaspoon of the coarsely ground spices, mix and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes and raise the heat to medium high. If using cherry tomatoes, let them blister and pop.
- Cover and cook the tomatoes for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, take the lid off and add chopped dates, cranberries, brown sugar, dry mango powder and salt.
- Cook the chutney on medium-high heat for another 5 -10 minutes with the pan uncovered until the chutney is thick and deep reddish brown in color.
- Check the seasoning and adjust the sweetness, tanginess and salt according to your liking.
- Serve at room temperature.
Notes
The chutney will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
You will have some spice mix leftover. Make this Coriander chicken.