Sweet & Sour Tamarind Chutney

Author Notes

This sweet tamarind chutney is sweet, sour, and tangy at the same time. It stays well in the refrigerator for 4 weeks. —Annada Rathi

Test Kitchen Notes

This delicious tamarind chutney recipe was developed for aloo chaat, which provide much of the dish's flavor contrasts. Spoon a quick cilantro chutney as well as the tamarind chutney onto the fried potato mixture, which have been cooked with chaat masala, cumin, and chile powder, for a dance between spicy (from Thai chile peppers), zingy (from ginger), and sweet (from sugar), and tangy (from tamarind). But this chutney stands out all on its own. You only need six ingredients to make the chutney, including salt and water, and you'll want to have a batch of this hanging out in the fridge at all times, since you'll be using it so much.

To make it, combine all the ingredients, except the cornstarch and water, in a pot, and heat through. The cornstarch mixed with the water helps thicken the chutney to a glossy consistency. Feel free to adjust by adding more cornstarch and water to get that perfect texture. If it's still not thickening to your liking, just let it simmer away on the stove low and slow; it'll happen. And that's basically all there is to it. For some serving suggestions, you can add 2 teaspoons of the chutney to a cup of crispy rice cereal. Mix a pinch of salt and red chile powder, a spoonful of diced red onions, and chopped cilantro for a quick snack. Serve alongside samosas and naan for dipping. Or, of course, enjoy with more of a heartier dish like the aloo chaat above. —The Editors