Date Chutney

This Indian date chutney is one of those condiments that transforms everything it touches. Sweet dates cooked until soft, pureed smooth, then spiked with tamarind for tang, cumin for warmth, and red pepper flakes for a slow-building heat at the finish.

The tamarind is what keeps this from being just date jam. Its sour, slightly fruity acidity balances the intense sweetness of the dates and gives the chutney that complex sweet-sour-spicy flavor profile that makes Indian chutneys so addictive.

Puree in small batches and add water gradually until you reach a thick, pourable sauce consistency. Too thin and it runs off food; too thick and it clumps.

Pro Tips

• Cook the dates until they’re very soft and breaking apart before pureeing. Undercooked dates leave fibrous bits in the finished chutney.
• Taste after adding the tamarind. Depending on the sweetness of your dates, you may want more or less.
• This chutney thickens as it cools. Make it slightly thinner than your target consistency while it’s warm.

Variations

• Add a pinch of ground ginger or chat masala for a more complex spice profile.
• Stir in a tablespoon of jaggery if your dates aren’t very sweet.
• Blend in a small handful of fresh mint for a date-mint hybrid chutney.