Dates Chutney / Sweet Chutney / Date Tamarind Chutney

Dates chutney is a quick and healthy recipe. This chutney is commonly used in Chat dishes. No chat recipe is complete without this chutney. Its sweet and sore taste with little hotness (from chilli and cumin powder) gives a yum taste to the chat recipes.

Ingredients:

Dates – 19 numbers (seedless)

Tamarind paste – 1tbsp

Red chilli powder – 1 ½ tsp

Cumin powder – 1tsp

Water - 1cup

Method:

Chop the dates coarsely and keep aside.

Add ½ cup water in a pan, add jaggery and tamarind past.

Boil in medium heat, till the jaggery get dissolved and bubbles start appearing.

Keep aside the syrup.

Heat the other ½ cup water in a pan and add the chopped dates and mash them using an egg beater or with a ladle.

Mash them till they become soft and turn into a pulp.

Add the jaggery, tamarind syrup to the mashed dates.

Add the chilli powder and cumin powder. Add some water if required.

Boil till it reaches the thick consistency.

Remove from heat and cool the chutney.

Transfer them to the blender and grind them to a smooth paste.

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.  

Note: Adjust the chilli powder as per your taste. If you want sweeter chutney reduce the chilli powder.

This chutney can be stored for one to two weeks, if stored in a refrigerator.

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a very famous Street food from Mumbai. Here is the recipe for you.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower florets – 1cup
Potato – 3 small
Tomato (for puree) – 2big
Capsicum/ bell pepper – ½ cup
Ginger garlic paste – 1tsp
Red chilli powder – 1tbsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tbsp
Pav bhaji masala powder – 1 ½ tbsp
Salt to taste
Butter – 2 to 3 tbsp (or more, use it liberally to enhance the taste)
Pav bun – 6 to 7 numbers or as much you want (store bought)

For Garnishing:

Chopped onion – 1cup
Chopped fresh coriander – ½ cup
Lemon juice

Method:

Pav bhaji masala:

Peel the potatoes, clean the cauliflower florets, add them to the pressure cooker add water up to the veggie level and cook for 3 whistle. Remove from the cooker (remove the extra water)and mash them.

In the meantime make tomato puree:

Wash and blanch the tomatoes, then remove their skin and grind it in the blender. Keep aside the puree.

In wok heat butter 1tbsp, add ginger garlic paste and fry for few seconds, then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and fry for a second.

Add chopped capsicum, fry for 1min
Now add the tomato puree, mix well and boil for 2 min.

Add the mashed potato and cauliflower followed by pav bhaji masala powder and salt.

Mix well, add little water if required and 1tsp butter. Close the lid.
Let them get cooked for 35 to 40 min till they get bind and raw smell goes (keep sautéing frequently)
Add salt, chilli powder, butter or pav bhaji masala at this point if required.
Add 1 tsp butter sauté well and remove from the stove.

Making pav:

Heat the pan place the bun coating with butter on both the sides and toast it.

Serve with sprinkling chopped onion, chopped coriander, and 1tsp lemon juice over the pav bhaji masala with toasted bun.

Tip:  If you don’t have pav bun, use hot dog bun.