Tomato, Khejur & Amsottor Chutney
A Bengali sweet-spicy tomato compote with dried fruits
- Cooking time30 mins
Calories123kcal
There’s no better after-meal treat than the sweet-tangy Bengali tomato chutney with a scattering of khejur (dates), aamshotto(mango pulp candy), raisins and cashew. Extremely popular on biyebari (wedding feast) menus, as well as in pujo bhog(offerings) where it is served alongside khichuri, the syrupy tomato-khejur’er chutney is slurped up with crunchy fried papad. Served right after the fish or meat courses, and just before dessert, chutneys ease you from one to the other.
The sweet Bengali tomato chutney recipe is so simple that it beggars belief—including prep time, it takes under 30 minutes to make! With ripe red tomatoes in abundance, winters are the perfect time for preparing it in large batches. Feed a large group of people, or savour this long-lasting tomato chutney (if divided up and stored in small airtight containers in the fridge, it can last for as long as 3–4 months) by yourself over time, either way do give this a try!
Frequently Asked Questions
Ingredients
- 500 g tomatoes
- 40 g pitted dates
- 80 g aamshotto (mango pulp candy)
- 40 g raisins
- 25 g cashew
- 400 g sugar
- 6 g salt
- 2 g turmeric
- 20 g mustard oil
- 1 pc dried red chilli
- ½ tsp panch phoron
- ½ tsp citric acid
Method
- Chop the tomatoes and aamshotto in 3-cm chunks. Split the dates length-wise.
- Heat mustard oil in a pan, and temper it with dried red chilli and panch phoron.
- Add the tomatoes, along with the salt and turmeric, and cook them, covered, until they have softened (about 5 minutes). Add the citric acid and cook, covered, for another 2 minutes until the tomatoes are completely soft and mushy.
- Now stir in the cashew and sugar. Because of the sugar, the colour of the chutney will start to transform from pale to a deep red. Once that has happened, stir in the raisins, dates, and aamshotto, and boil for another 2 minutes or until the chutney reaches the desired consistency. Remember to remove it from the heat while it is still thin as it will thicken once cooled. If you are storing it for long-time use, allow it to cool completely before you pour it into an airtight container and put it in the fridge, where it will last for up to 2 months.
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