Tamarind Chutney
“Imli + jaggery + roasted cumin + ginger + black salt simmered to a syrup. The sweet-sour foil under every chaat.”
Where it comes from
A Mughal-era kitchen carryover — tamarind reached India from East Africa via Arab traders by the 13th century, jaggery is older still. Today the imli-saunth chutney is the default sweet sauce of Mumbai-Delhi chaat carts; Haldiram's first jarred version went on shelves in Nagpur in 1958.
On the plate
Mahogany-dark, viscous like cold maple syrup. Sour first, sweet behind, the cumin and black salt sulfur-funk arriving last. Drizzled cold over hot pakoras, it pulls the fried oil down and brightens the dal-fritter underneath.
How it works
Tamarind pulp soaked in hot water, strained, then simmered with jaggery to roughly 1:1 by weight until coating-spoon thick. Roasted (not raw) cumin is non-negotiable — raw cumin tastes soapy here; the toast brings the cumaldehyde-pyrazine note that defines saunth.
K.T. Achaya's Indian Food: A Historical Companion (OUP 1994) traces saunth chutney to Lodi-era Delhi. Black salt (kala namak) is mined at the Khewra range in Punjab, Pakistan; the sulfur smell comes from greigite and pyrite traces, not added.
Variations
Delhi saunth is thicker, heavier on ginger powder; Mumbai khajur-imli adds soaked Medjool dates for body. Bengali tetuler chutney sits looser and is served warm at the end of the meal as a digestive, not a starter dip.
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 6How it's made
4 steps · Show ↓5 min active · 50 min waiting
How it's made
4 steps · Show ↓- 130 min
Soak 100 g tamarind + 100 g pitted dates in 500 ml hot water 30 min.
- 25 min
Mash and strain through fine mesh; discard fibers.
- 315 min
Simmer with 100 g sugar + 1 tsp roasted cumin + 1/2 tsp ginger powder + 1/2 tsp chili 15 min.
- 45 min
Cool to thick syrup; jar; refrigerate up to 1 month.
