Tomato Khejur Aamshottor Chutney
This is a traditional Bengali sweet chutney made with ripe tomatoes, dates and lango leather. It has a mushy texture with little bite from the dates and is served at the end of a meal before the desserts.
Ingredients
- 4 nos large tomatoes
- 10 nos dates preferably Indian dates
- 1/2 cup chopped mango leather
- 1 tsp panchphoron
- 1 no dried red chilli
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 cup chopped cashews
- 1/3 cup golden raisins
- 2 tsp sugar optional
- 1 tsp lemon juice optional
- 2 tsp any vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup warm water
Instructions
- Wash the tomatoes and slice them length wise. Discard the seeds. Take pitted dated and slice them length wise. Also chop the mango leather and keep them ready.
- In a frying pan, lightly roast the cashews and keep aside.
- In a small kadai or a frying pan, heat the oil and add the dried red chilli when the oil is hot. Add the panchphoron and let the spices temper. WHen they have slightly browned, add the tomatoes.
- On a high flame, stir the tomatoes. Add salt and turmeric powder and then stir for a few second. Reduce the temperature and cover and cook the tomatoes till they have softened. This takes a bit of time and you have to un cover and check from time to time. Each time, give it a good stir.
- Once the tomatoes have become soft, add the dates and cook further. You can add a little bit of sugar here, if your tomatoes are very sour. Then add 1/4 th cup of water and stir. Let the date cook for a few minutes till they are soft but not mushy.
- At this point, add the chopped cashews and kismis and finally the mango leather.
- You will also have to add the rest of the water and give it a boil. When the consistency is syrupy and a bit mushy, turn off the heat. Squeeze some lemon juice, if you want a fresh taste of acidity in the chutney.
- Let it cool down and transfer to a glass container and chill in the refrigerator. Serve chilled.