Tamarind Chutney

Soak tamarind in some water for 1 hour, to help soften the tamarind. If your don’t have time, you can skip this step.

Boil 2 cups of water and mix tamarind into it. Take it off heat and mash tamarind in water. When tamarind is soft and pulpy, drain the water and take out the tamarind pulp. Reserve the water for later. Put the pulp in a blender and blend to create a smooth paste.

Place the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, whole dry red chilies, and asafoetida on a heavy-bottomed pan or tawa (flat round griddle) over medium heat. Roast until seeds sputter and become aromatic. Grind the spices in a spice grinder or a clean blender jar.

Put a pan over medium heat. Add the reserved tamarind water and remaining cup of water, bring to a boil. When water comes to boil, add jaggery and let it melt.

Add tamarind paste in the pan. Also add the roasted spice powder, red chili powder, dry ginger powder, black salt and salt to taste. Let the mixture boil for almost 5–7 minutes.

Give it a taste and add more sugar or salt if required.