Imli Chutney – Ramadan Must Haves!

We usually don’t appreciate the little things in life but their absence is felt big time. Well I am not going to bore you all with a philosophical post right now rather today’s share is about the smallest items we put on our Iftar tables without which our Iftar meals are incomplete (most of the time). We always talk about the pakoras, samosas and dahi baras but never give credit to the small condiments (chutneys, ketchup and sauces) that make these elements more tastier.

Today’s post is a tribute to this finger-licking Imli Chutney which is consumed with all the fried stuff and makes those chola chaat and dahi phulkas more delish. Most of you will say that why shouldn’t we grab those ready made chutneys from market and avoid the hassle altogether. Everybody has their own opinion, I personally feel that the ones available out there are a little artificial and full of the preservatives. Sometimes their taste also vary. That is why I prefer preparing it at home right from scratch in BULK so the effort is one time and taste is divine (exactly the way I like) . Those who follow my Instagram and Snapchat (@breaksandbites) stories must have seen the big pot of Imli pulp that I shared a couple of days earlier and have thought I have gone nuts.. Haha but that is how I prepare for Ramadan and sometimes this chutney lasts for more months than just Ramadan. So the effort is worth it 🙂

You can serve this chutney as a side with the fried items, snacks, can pour a tablespoon or so over chana chaat and dahi baras to get that perfect flavour. I for myself like it with everything ( you can say I am biased towards it :p lol ). The recipe is quite simple but the cleaning and sieving part is a bit laborious but all is well that tastes well 😉

Here it goes…

About Imli Chutney: A spicy, sweet and sour sauce made using tamarind puree and other spices to compliment various fried items. A must have dip for all snacks!

Rating:

Cuisine: Pakistani/ Indian/ Desi

Course: Side

Serves:	2400 gms of chutney	Ease Level:
Prep Time:	30 mins	Quickness:
Cooking Time:	180 mins	Spice Level:

Above ratings are out of 5, with 5 being the ‘most’.

GET:

Strainer
Big pot
Cooking pot
Cooking spoon

SET:

Tamarind (deseeded) 500 gms
Salt 2 tsp
Red Chili powder 1.5 tbsp
Chaat masala 3 tsp
Sugar 500-600 gms
Ginger Powder 1/2 tsp (optional)

GO:

Leave tamarind in water overnight.

Sieve the pulp using strainer, discard all the seeds and shells.

Put the pot on heat and let it boil, keep stirring.

Add salt, red chili powder, chaat masala, sugar, ginger powder and mix.

Let it cook until the sauce is thick enough (about halved in quantity) and it start to simmer.

At this point, taste the chutney and adjust spices if you want. (the quantity I have shared is perfect for sweet, sour and spicy sauce)

Let it cool down.

Stock it in bottles and serve with snacks.

How Do I keep Imli Chutney and how long it lasts?

I keep this chutney in the veggies section in refrigerator and it lasts for as long as you take the time to consume it, for real. My last batch of chutney lasted over an year, trust me. You just need to take care of these small things while storing the chutney and it’ll last longer.

Keep it in airtight containers. Typically I (re)use the ready made ginger garlic paste jars or anything of the sort.

The chutney should be cooled down before you transfer it to your storage jars.

The jars must be clean and dry when you fill them up with the chutney.

Use clean and dry spoons to scoop it out later on to avoid mold and fungus issues.

MY TWO CENTS:

Adjust the spices to suit your taste buds.

The consistency of this chutney is not too runny.

You can get ready made tamarind pulp to avoid the fuss of sieving and cleaning. It saves time too.

This is the basic recipe of chutney. You can add a pinch of ginger powder, use blended dates or jaggery (gur) in place of sugar.

500 gms of tamarind yields 2400 gms of chutney (that is wayyy too much).

Now check out random photoshoot of my Imli chutney 😉