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Tamarind Chutney (canning recipe)

How to describe this hot, spicy, sweet and sour condiment? Sublime? Amazing? "The ketchup of the east"?
Course sauce
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 water bath canner optional - I used a large stockpot with a silicone trivet in the bottom
  • 1 food safe gloves don't handle the tamarind pulp with bare hands if at all possible
  • 1 fine mesh strainer
  • 3-4 1/2 pint canning jars/lids/rings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb whole tamarinds these are fruits and you should NOT use the sweet tamarind, you want the sour kind.
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 2-2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 tbsp roasted ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp black salt optional. If you can't find it, add another 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Himalayan or Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp ginger powder

Instructions

Deal with the tamarind pods

  • Peel the covering and any stringy parts from the fruit. Cut it up and place in a medium sized bowl.
  • Cover the pieces of fruit with the 2 cups boiling water and let sit for 20 minutes
  • Mash it around with a potato masher and let sit for another 40 minutes or so.
  • With gloves on, reach in and separate the seeds from the pulp. Squeeze out as much pulpy juice as possible and remove most of the larger bits by hand.
  • Strain the rest through a fine mesh sieve. Your pulp will last in the fridge for 2-3 weeks so this is a good do-ahead part of the project.

Mix it all together

  • Seriously, add in the sugar first and mix it thoroughly. Add the remaining spices. Mix well and taste. Add more sugar, salt or pepper as needed.

Prepare for the canning process

  • Wash and sterilize your jars. Place in a boiling-water canner to heat up. Add the flat canning lids to this water to gently warm the rubber seals (don't boil at this point)
  • Wash lids and prep for canning (small bowl of white vinegar and clean cloth is a must)
  • Heat the chutney on the stove top or until very hot in the microwave.

Fill hot jars with hot sauce

  • 1/2" headspace, debubble, wipe rims very well with cloth dipped in white vinegar, put on 2 piece lids, fingertip tight and place in water-bath canner. Water must be at least an inch over the top of the lids

process 10 minutes boiling. remove lid and let rest for 5 minutes before removing from canner.

  • do not touch or disturb your jars for 24 hours.

Notes

Chutney can be refrigerated for 2 - 3 months
Easily thinned with water should you want to serve it as more of a sauce.