Green / Tamarind chutney for Chaat by Shubha

Green / Tamarind chutney for Chaat

For green chutney

U need : Fresh coriander - 2 bunches
Mint leaves - 1 bunch
Garlic - 1 clove (optional)
Salt to taste
Green chillies - around 6-7 (add more if u like it more spicy)
Lemon juice - 1 1/2 tsp

Method : clean both Coriander and Mint and remove the stem. Put all the ingredients in a grinder and blend well into a paste. Ur green chutney is ready. (u can even use store bought mint chutney instead of mint leaves. or if u wish u can even skip mint. Mint enhances the taste of the chutney.)

For Tamarind chutney

U need:
Tamarind paste / puree - 3 cups
Soaked and de-seeded black dates - 1 cup
powdered Jaggery - 1 tbsp
Toasted saunf - 2 tsp (coarsely powdered)

Method : Soak the dates for 6 hours or so in little luke warm water and leave aside. Once its tender/ soft. blend it well into a paste. Now in a vessel take both the tamarind paste and the date paste and stir well. heat iton medium till it boils a bit. Keep stirring. Add the jaggery if u feel the sauce is not sweet enough. this saiuce has to be tangy and sweet.... so balance the tamarind and the jaggery as needed. Once the jaggery is dissolved well.. and the tamarind and dates r cooked a bit. Off the gas and add the saunf to the chutney. Ur tamarind chutney is ready u can store in it in fridge for around 10 days..:)

Instant tamarind chutney
I do this whenever i dont have dates.

u need : Tamarind concentrate -3 tbsp
Water - 1 cup
jaggery - 1 1/2 tbsp

Method : In a vessel i take the water and mix the concentrate to it. Now I heat it on medium flame till the liquid boils, add the jaggery and boil till it becomes a bit thick. Ur chutney is ready to be used..:)