Tomato khejur chatni (Bengali sweet tomato chutney)
A lip-smacking condiment, this Bengali sweet tomato chutney is not only made regularly in Bengali homes but also at weddings and other special occasions. You are sure to fall in love with this under 30 minute recipe
Equipment
- Shallow cooking pot
Ingredients
- 8-10 medium tomatoes roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup dates pitted and chopped
- 7-8 cashews optional
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp panch phoron*
- 1 dried red chilli
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
Instructions
- Heat the oil until it smokes and then lower the flame. Temper the oil with the panch phoron and dried chili. Once the fenugreek (methi) seeds in it turn brown add in the tomatoes, turmeric powder and the salt
- Mix well and cover and cook until they soften and break down - this may take 10-12 minutes. You can also add ¼ cup hot water to aid the process
- Once mushy, add the sugar, dates and cashews. Mix well and cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the chutney has reduced and thickened
- Remove in a bowl and let it come to room temperature. Serve this delicious Bengali tomato chutney with your regular home cooked meals or at special occasions. Enjoy!
Notes
- *The panch phoron is a mix of cumin seeds, fennel seeds, onion seeds, fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds. Combine a tablespoon of each and use for the recipe as needed
- The chatni will stay fresh up to 4-5 days in the refrigerator
- If you choose to sweeten your chatni with jaggery instead of sugar, ad a teaspoon of grated ginger with the tomatoes as well. It makes the chutney taste even better
- You could also add chopped aam sotto or mango pulp candy to the chutney in step 3
- Adjust the amount of sugar/jaggery to be added according to your taste, sweetness of the tomatoes used and also on the amount of dates you will use
- g - grams
- tsp - teaspoon
- tbsp - tablespoon
- 1 cup = 250 millilitres