Tamarind Chutney, A Delicious Vegan Samosa Sauce

Tamarind Chutney, aka Imli Ki Chatni, is one of the most exquisite Indian sauces we’ve ever tasted. It’s hot, sweet, sour and curry-spiced all at the same time.

It makes a super samosa sauce for our Sunrise Vegetable Curry Samosas, goes with roasted vegetables, makes a lovely dip for chocolate or our Rose-Infused Coconut Ladoos (aka Coconut Bliss Balls), and as a world-fusion wonder, it makes an amazing plant-based dessert when served with chocolate or drizzled over vegan coffee ice cream (our favorite!).

Tamarind is the bean pod from a tall tropical tree. The beans are encased in a thick sour paste and this is the tamarind paste we use in our cooking. It’s quite tart, but unlike lemon or lime juice. We do not have an Indian grocery near us so we order our Tamarind Paste from Pure Indian Foods.

We use whole spices of cumin and fennel seed in our recipe, but if you prefer a smooth sauce you can use ground spices. Better yet, grind yours fresh prior to adding to the sauce.

You might question the addition of cumin into sweet chutney, but it’s surprisingly fabulous!

Our Tamarind Chutney recipe calls for Garam Masala which is a northern Indian spice blend. You can order organic Garam Masala from Pure Indian Foods, or better yet,  order the whole spices and make it yourself! Here’s a link to our recipe: Garam Masala Recipe.

(Some of the links on our page may be affiliate links. If you use them to purchase items, we may receive a small commission. It won't cost you anything and we appreciate your support!)

Jump to Tamarind Chutney Grocery List

Jump to Tamarind Chutney Nutritional Analysis

Tamarind Chutney, A Delicious Vegan Samosa Sauce Recipe

Prep

• 45 minutes prep
• Serves 32
• Serving size: 1 Tbsp
• Suggested equipment: small saucepan, spice grinder (if making your own ground spices).

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp oil (we use organic olive oil)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds or powder
• ½ tsp fennel seeds or powder
• 1 tsp finely grated ginger or unsweetened ginger paste
• ½ tsp red pepper powder, or red pepper flakes if you like more texture
• ½ tsp Asafetida, aka Hing
• ½ tsp organic Garam Masala powder
  
  
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/4 cup sugar (we use organic coconut sugar)
• 3 Tbsp organic Tamarind Paste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the spices and stir until the mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add the water, sugar, and Tamarind paste. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to keep the mixture at a low simmer until the mixture is reduced by half and leaves a coat of sauce on the spoon after stirring. As it gets thicker it can burn, so watch it carefully. After about 15 minutes it should be ready.
3. Remove the Tamarind Chutney from the heat and let it cool. It will continue to thicken as it cools. You should have close to 2 cups of Tamarind Chutney. Store in a jar in the refrigerator. It stores well up to a month.
   
   

Chef's Notes 

We included a number of ingredient variations in this recipe. The whole spices, fennel, and cumin soften during cooking and are easily chewed while eating the Tamarind Chutney. If you use powdered spices, your sauce will be smooth. We like the texture. 

When we try a new recipe, we follow the directions the first time, evaluate it, and make notes about how we’ll change it next time. We suggest you do the same with this recipe. Try it with the whole spices this time and be sure to try it out in a coffee ice cream sundae! Tamarind Chutney may become your new favorite plant-based dessert!

We hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you have an article or recipe requests, let us know on our Facebook page: Your Vegan Family. While you're there, please like our page and share our posts!

Sign up for our newsletter at the top of the sidebar and we'll let you know when new articles are published!

If this Tamarind Recipe recipe looks good, Pin It!

Vegan Tamarind Chutney Recipe Grocery List: 

Support organic and small family-owned businesses by ordering your ingredients here:  

Pure Indian Foods.

• cumin seeds or powder
• fennel seeds or powder
• fresh ginger or unsweetened ginger paste
• red pepper powder or red pepper flakes
• Asafetida (Hing)
• Garam Masala
• Tamarind Paste
• sugar
• oil

Tamarind Chutney Recipe Nutritional Analysis

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutritional calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. When exact ingredients are not available in this database, the closest substitution is made. 

Percentages are based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet for an adult. 

 * Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. If you use them and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment. You will not be charged extra for this. Thank you for your support!