Tamarind chutney is a sweet and sour condiment made from tamarind paste, sugar, spices, and water. It is used in African, Indian, and Thai recipes and can be made fresh or purchased pre-prepared. Jaggery date sugar is the preferred sweetener, but dark brown sugar can be used as a substitute. The chutney is easy to prepare and takes between 15 and 30 minutes to make.
Tamarind chutney is a type of chutney made from the tamarind fruit. Chutney, a gelatinous substance, is usually used as a condiment for many meals. Tamarind chutney is most frequently used to add a sweet and sour element to a dish. It is often used in dishes such as Moroccan stuffed chicken and other African, Indian and Thai recipes.
The tamarind fruit is grown on a tree, originally native to Africa but now mainly grown in India, called the tamarind. Tamarind chutney uses tamarind paste as the main ingredient. The paste can be made by hand, using fruit, or it can be purchased from Indian or Thai specialty shops or gourmet food stores.
The chutney itself is often made fresh, although it can be found pre-prepared. The preparation of the chutney takes between 15 and 30 minutes depending on the recipe and the experience of the cook. In addition to the tamarind paste, sugar, spices and water are usually used in the recipe.
Tamarind paste comes in tubs or blocks. Most recipes will call for the block form, but there’s no difference in taste between the two. When using the block form, the tamarind will need to be reconstituted into the paste using the water in the recipe. Thai tamarind is usually easier to work with than the Indian version because it generally tends to be softer. If using tamarind that is already in paste form, the amount of water in the recipe should be reduced or eliminated.
All tamarind chutney recipes call for paste, water and sugar, and the simplest recipes will only include these ingredients. The sugar used is Jaggery Date sugar, which is made not only from sugar cane but also from dates. This sugar is often hard to find in the United States, but is often brought in from Indian specialty stores. If jaggery sugar is not available, dark brown sugar can be used.
Most tamarind chutney recipes include the spice as well. Hot chili powder, usually Indian, is often in demand. In addition to chili powder, cumin or garam masala, also Indian spices, may also be included. Coriander and anise seeds are also included in some recipes.
To prepare the chutney, the brick tamarind must first be reconstituted into a paste. Next, sugar is added and dissolved in the mixture over low heat. The sugar-tamarind mixture is then transferred to a bowl. If coriander or anise seeds are used, these should be toasted before blending. Roasting takes just a few minutes in a pan and the cook will know the seeds are roasted by the fragrance. Only after roasting are the seeds ground into a powder and mixed with the rest of the ingredients.
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