Pantry ingredient Imli ki Chutney which goes well with EVERYTHING because of it's balance of spicy, sweet, and tangy! A fridge and freezer must have!
I can't take complicated. If it's a showstopper then okay fine, I am willing to do the work, but that's about it. Ask me to go buy a package of dates when I need a few for a chutney or gurh which I will not use again either and I am not a happy camper. Now please do not get me wrong - those chutneys taste great. I will happily drizzle them over my Dahi Baray any day of the week.
However, I really wanted to create an Imli ki Chutney recipe that was easy and accessible. It also had to be chaat friendly - just a little sweet, tons of punchy tangy imli taste, and spice. In other words this is not a meethi imli ki chutney.
Straining the Imli
In fact I was so committed to making the recipe as simple as possible that I tried various combinations where I didn't need to strain the Imli first. I personally dislike squishing the imli by hand to separate the seeds from the pulp. Boiling the imli seeds and all with the spices led to a quick and easy strain at the end. However, it also resulted in an Imli ki Chutney that was unpleasantly sour. Offsetting that sourness with sugar meant I now had a chutney which was unpleasantly sweet instead of the tangy all purpose chutney I wanted.
However, to make the straining process easier I opted to create a runnier strained imli. I pour boiling or very hot water over the tamarind chunk (breaking it into pieces with a spoon in advance makes it simpler), then let it sit for ten minutes. This makes it easier to strain and press through with the back of a spoon. It also meant that when I am simmering the imli ki chutney there is enough liquid in the imli ki chutney for flavours to meld nicely together as it thickens.
Imli ki Chutney Ingredient Spotlight
- Tamarind - I use unsalted (read the package!) and with seeds in because that's what is most commonly available. If you want to use seedless just reduce the tamarind by 20%
- Brown Sugar - it has better flavour in this chutney than white sugar and is commonly available. Other readers have used gurh as well, but I personally have not tried it.
- Salt and Pink Salt - Salt and Pink Salt are both used here to give this chutney a little more atittude. If you don't have pink salt, then don't worry. Just add ½ tsp of chaat masala in at the end.
- Roasted Cumin and Coriander Powder - many cooks already have a roasted ground version in their kitchen, but if you don't then a quick dry roast of the spices works.
Made this recipe? Rate it by clicking the number of stars on the recipe card below - a 5 star rating is always appreciated!
Imli ki Chutney
Ingredients
- 200 g Imli seedless, unsalted (read package)
- 3 cups Water (very hot, boiling works)
- ½ cup Brown Sugar can go upto ¾ if you want
- 1 tsp Chili Flakes (¾ tsp powder)
- ¾ tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
- ¾ tsp Roasted Coriander Powder (optional, but adds a great smokiness)
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pink Salt (if you don't have it add ½ tsp of chaat masala at the end)
- 1 tbsp dried mint or fresh (optional, but adds such lovely flavour!)
Instructions
- Break the imli into smaller chunks and pour over hot water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes or until softened.
- Strain the Imli into a pot, just use the back of a spoon to make sure you get maximum flavour in your pot.
- Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil
- Simmer for 15 minutes. The chutney will thicken a little, but will still be runny.
- Let cool completely then store in a jar in the fridge, it will keep for a few weeks. You can also freeze half.
Mehrwush says
Just made this and it’s perfect! Such a good taste and consistency! Thank you!!
Sarah Mir says
Thank you SO much Mehrwush for making it and the review!
Maiera N says
Superb recipe! My husband loved it - just the right flavor- thanks Sarah!
Sarah Mir says
Thank you Maiera!!!! Appreciated hearing from you! We love this chutney too!
Sabeen Faruqui says
Thank you Sarah for the perfect imli chutney recipe. I made this today while I was fasting and the spice/sugar level was just perfect ❤️ Lots of duas for you for sharing such perfect recipes always!
Aamna Latif says
Kickass. Just the right notes. Complements alllll iftari food so well.
Sarah Mir says
glad you think so!
Rahma says
How long can this be stored in the refrigerator?
Sarah Mir says
At least 3 months!
Rana says
Is the pink salt that is mentioned in this recipe the Himalayan pink salt or are you referring to kala namak?
Sarah Mir says
kala namak 🙂
Kiran A. says
Salaam Sarah! I am trying to make this chutney today and was wondering if I could use tamarind concentrate instead of packaged imli? If so, what quantity would you suggest and would anything else change?
Sarah Mir says
Salaam Kiran! Unfortunately tamarind concentrate won't work because both the texture and flavour will be off! I know it's not fun to do, but I suggest making Imli paste from the pulp for this!
Shabibi Khan says
I wish I had seen this recipe sooner. It's the perfect blend of sweet, sour and tangy and spicy.