Chutneys for Chaat

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Many people feel that Chaat is junk food but I do not fully agree with this thought. The puris & the sev used is deep fried but the chutneys & the fillings used are healthy as it is free from cooking oil. It also has fibre, vitamins, proteins.The ingredients used in the various chutneys are valued in Ayurveda & helps in bringing about a balance in vata, pitta & kapha.
It is important & necessary to add the right amount of punch, zing & tang to the “Chaat.” To achieve this you need to have some lovely chutneys to top it with. To relish & savour the delectable varieties of Indian Chaat & enhance the flavor, I would like to present you with these three essential chutneys which will give you a great Chaat experience.. J
Sweet Tamarind Date Chutney (Meethi Imli Khajur Chutney)
Just a dash of this sweet-tart chutney, spread over chaat raises the flavor by leaps & bounds. This zesty & tangy dip adds a new dimension to any fried Indian snacks & oomph to your meal too.
Ingredients :
50 gms. Dates
100 gms. Tamarind
200 gms. Jaggery
1 litre Water
Dry Roast & Grind to a fine powder :
1 large Cinnamon Stick
1 tbsp. Cumin Seeds
2 Black Cardamoms
1 tbsp. Coriander Seeds
½ tsp. Peppercorns
3-4 Cloves
1tsp. Saunth (dry Ginger Powder)
1 tsp. fresh Ginger (grated or paste)
1 tsp. Rock Salt
For the sweet chutney:
Clean & wash dates & tamarind.
In a deep pan boil dates, tamarind & jaggery in one litre of water for about 5mins.
Strain the water & reserve for further use.
Let the residue cool & then discard stones & seeds from the dates & tamarind.
Put the dates, tamarind & one cup of the strained mixture & in the mixie & blend till smooth. 
Strain again to separate fibres.
Mix the smooth puree along with the remaining reserved liquid in a deep pan.
Sieve the ground spice fine powder & add to the tamarind puree along with rock salt, saunth, fresh ginger paste & salt. Stir well.
Bring to a boil & let it simmer for about 10 mins. or until the chutney thickens a little. Cool thoroughly to get thick sweet tamarind chutney/meethi imli chutney.
Use to prepare various chaats or as a dip.
Spicy Green Chutney (Hari Pudina Dhania Chutney) :
The fresh herbs used brings in a lot of freshness to the chaat. Ayurveda emphasizes the medicinal value of mint & coriander in daily healthy cooking. This chutney is zesty & adds punch in your chaat.
Ingredients :
2 bunches fresh Coriander
1 small bunch fresh Mint
25 gms. fresh Ginger
½ tsp. Cumin Seeds
5-10 fresh Green Chillies
Water as required
Salt to taste
Method :
Pick coriander & mint leaves. If the coriander is tender, retain stems & discard roots. Wash both the leaves thoroughly.
Lightly scrape the ginger; chop roughly.
Discard stems & seeds if you like it less spicy.
You may reduce the number of chillies if you like it low on spice.
Grind together all the above green chutney ingredients to a thick & smooth paste.
Red Garlic Chutney (Teekhi Lal Lehsun Chutney) : (optional)
Garlic aids digestion & has innumerable medicinal qualities. This chutney is for all those who love & enjoy the flavor of garlic.
For this chutney, peel & keep ready cloves of 3 medium garlic pods. Add about 20 red dry chillies with seeds & stems removed. Mix in one & a half cups of water  soak till chillies soften & grind to a smooth paste. Add more water to dilute if required & salt to taste.


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