Bengali Style Tomato Chutney

A traditional Bengali every day meal is a six course one, unlike the other regional cuisines of India. I am assuming the modern households don't have the time or energy needed to cook such elaborate meals but a typical lunch in a Bengali household of the olden times was by itself a mini thaali, dishes ranging from bitter to savory to sweet. A meal with a total blast of flavors in sharp contrasts.

The chutney or chaatni, as the locals call it is a part of the meal and  tomato chutney is one of the commonly prepared one locally. It is served at almost at the end and is not eaten as an accompaniment or side dish in the meal as they do in other regions. It is a sweet and spicy condiment, served typically after the savory dishes and before the dessert as a palate cleanser. The traditional tomato - date chutney typically contains tomatoes, dates, raisins, sweetener like jaggery / sugar and cooked in mustard oil. I did not have dates on hand but had dried mango slices and used them in the recipe as Sandeepa suggested. It is not the typical south Indian variety chutney which I am used to and was too sweet to my palate. It can be eaten as a condiment with starters or even some slathered on a toast.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. mustard oil

1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 red chili broken into bits (I used 2.)
2 big sized tomatoes
A pinch of turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. dried mango pieces (optional)
1 tsp. ginger juice (I used grated ginger)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. tamarind chutney / tamarind extract to taste

Directions:
* Heat oil and add mustard seeds and red chili. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add tomato pieces, turmeric and salt and continue to cook. 

* When they are almost done, add the dry mango, ginger juice and water. Continue to cook until the tomatoes are cooked to a soft pulp. 

* Add sugar and to make the chutney tangy, add a tsp. of tamarind chutney. 

* Continue to cook until it thickens and turn off the stove.


Comments