Chutneys For Chaat: Sonth and Hari Chutney

Sonth (date, tamarind and dried ginger chutney) and Hari Chutney (cilantro and mint green chutney) are perhaps the two most common chutneys made in North Indian households. I made both today for @rushinamg’s droolworthy Chutney Day. I add a chopped, ripe banana to my sonth because I grew up eating “meethi chutney” from the chaatwalas at Bengali Market who always added it to theirs. The green chutney has a mix of cilantro and mint along with a little bhujia sev as a thickener (a tip shared by a Marwari friend who swears by it). Both chutneys are gluten-free, refined sugar-free and vegan.

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Recipe

Sonth (Date, Tamarind and Dried Ginger Chutney)

Ingredients

100 gms dried tamarind
100 gms soft, pitted dates
100 gms powdered jaggery (you may need a little more depending on how tart the tamarind is)
Pinch of asafetida
1 1/2 cups water, divided
Salt to taste
1 tsp black salt (kala namak)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp dried ginger powder (sonth)
1 tsp roasted cumin powder 
1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf), coarsely pounded
1/4 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp golden raisins 
1/8 tsp citric acid crystals (optional)
1 tsp melon seeds, toasted till they pop (optional)
1 small, ripe banana, thinly sliced (optional)

Method

Boil the tamarind, dates and jaggery in a saucepan along with the asafetida and 1 1/4 cups of water for about 10 minutes.

Cool, strain and reserve the pulp.

Return to the saucepan along with the spices & seasonings. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of water, golden raisins and citric acid crystals. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Once the chutney reaches a boil (it will start to splutter), reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes. This is the time to taste and adjust the seasonings as needed; add more sweetener if required and some hot water if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Turn off the heat. Stir in the toasted melon seeds. Cool the sonth to room temperature and separate the amount you need to use. Stir the sliced banana into the chutney (add the banana only to the portion that will be consumed), if using.

Store the remaining sonth refrigerated in an airtight container and consume within two weeks.

Hari Chutney (Cilantro and Mint Chutney)

Ingredients

70 gms fresh cilantro (hara dhania)
30 gms fresh mint 
100 gms/1 medium red onion, finely chopped 
1-2 green chillies, chopped
2 tsp grated ginger 
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
2 tsp powdered jaggery
Salt to taste 
1 tbsp bhujia sev (optional) 

Method

Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

Store refrigerated in an air tight container and consume within 4-5 days.