I can't take complicated. If it's a showstopper then okay fine, I am willing to do the work, but that's about it. Ask me to go buy a package of dates when I need a few for a chutney or gurh which I will not use again either and I am not a happy camper. Now please do not get me wrong - those chutneys taste great. I will happily drizzle them over my Dahi Baray any day of the week. However, I really wanted to create an Imli ki Chutney recipe that was easy and accessible. It also had to be chaat friendly - just a little sweet, tons of punchy tangy imli taste, and spice. In other words this is not a meethi imli ki chutney.
Jump to the Imli ki Chutney Recipe
Straining the Imli
In fact I was so committed to making the recipe as simple as possible that I tried various combinations where I didn't need to strain the Imli first. I personally dislike squishing the imli by hand to separate the seeds from the pulp. Boiling the imli seeds and all with the spices led to a quick and easy strain at the end. However, it also resulted in an Imli ki Chutney that was unpleasantly sour. Offsetting that sourness with sugar meant I now had a chutney which was unpleasantly sweet instead of the tangy all purpose chutney I wanted.
However, to make the straining process easier I opted to create a runnier strained imli. I pour boiling or very hot water over the tamarind chunk (breaking it into pieces with a spoon in advance makes it simpler), then let it sit for ten minutes. This makes it easier to strain and press through with the back of a spoon. It also meant that when I am simmering the imli ki chutney there is enough liquid in the imli ki chutney for flavours to meld nicely together as it thickens.
Imli ki Chutney Ingredients
- Tamarind - I use unsalted (read the package!) and with seeds in because that's what is most commonly available. If you want to use seedless just reduce the tamarind by 20%
- Brown Sugar - it has better flavour in this chutney than white sugar and is commonly available. The chutney will get sweeter as it cools so for me 5 tbsp was perfect, but feel free to add more if you like a sweet chutney.
- Chilli Flakes or Powder - for a little heat
- Salt and Pink Salt - Salt and Pink Salt are both used here to give this chutney a little more atittude. If you don't have pink salt, then don't worry. Just add ½ tsp of chaat masala in at the end.
- Roasted Cumin and Coriander Powder - many cooks already a roasted ground version in their kitchen, but if you don't then a quick dry roast of the spices works. Simply heat a clean frying pan on medium heat and move the spices around until they smell toasty. The Coriander Powder is an unusual addition, but it was suggested by a friend on Instagram who tested the recipe for me and I loved what it did for the chutney. Feel free to omit if you want to - It is still delicious without.
Two-Step Process
Making this Chutney is a simple two step process
1.) Soak and strain Imli into a small saucepan
2.) Add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes.
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Imli ki Chutney
Ingredients
- 200 g Imli seedless, unsalted (read package)
- 3 cups Water (very hot, boiling works)
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Chili Flakes (¾ tsp powder)
- ¾ tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
- ¾ tsp Roasted Coriander Powder (optional, but adds a great smokiness)
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pink Salt (if you don't have it add ½ tsp of chaat masala at the end)
- 1 tbsp dried mint or fresh (optional, but adds such lovely flavour!)
Instructions
- Break the imli into smaller chunks and pour over hot water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes or until softened.
- Strain the Imli into a pot, just use the back of a spoon to make sure you get maximum flavour in your pot.
- Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil
- Simmer for 15 minutes. The chutney will thicken a little, but will still be runny.
- Let cool completely then store in a jar in the fridge, it will keep for a few weeks. You can also freeze half.
Salaam Sarah! I am trying to make this chutney today and was wondering if I could use tamarind concentrate instead of packaged imli? If so, what quantity would you suggest and would anything else change?
Salaam Kiran! Unfortunately tamarind concentrate won't work because both the texture and flavour will be off! I know it's not fun to do, but I suggest making Imli paste from the pulp for this!
Is the pink salt that is mentioned in this recipe the Himalayan pink salt or are you referring to kala namak?
kala namak 🙂
How long can this be stored in the refrigerator?
At least 3 months!