Date and Tamarind Chutney (Meethi Chutney)
Sweet and sour brown chutney that makes every chaat, samosa and pakora taste like it came from a street stall.
- Time30 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.14 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put the dates, tamarind paste, water, cumin, ginger, chilli powder and salt in a pan.
- 2
Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the dates are very soft and the liquid has reduced by about a third.
20 min - 3
Blitz with a stick blender until smooth.
- 4
Press the chutney through a sieve with the back of a spoon to remove any tough bits of date skin.
- 5
Stir in the brown sugar while it is warm, then taste. It should be sweet first, then sour, with a little heat.
- 6
Cool and store in a jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Thin with a spoonful of water if it thickens.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.