Chintakaya (fresh) pacchadi (Raw Tamarind Chutney)

Tamarind is grown in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Thailand and Indian Subcontinent.

It is cultivated all over India. Tamarind is a very large tree with long, heavy drooping branches and dense foliage.

The fruit pulp is edible.  It is used in South Indian cooking to make chutneys, dal and sambar etc. The hard green pulp of a young fruit is sour, and is often used as a component of savoury dishes, as a pickling agent etc.

Its sticky pulp is a good source of dietary fiber which binds to toxins in the food thereby help protect the colon mucus membrane from cancer causing chemicals.

Tamarind is rich in tartaric acid which gives sour taste to food and is a powerful antioxidant.

Tamarind pulp is used in many traditional medicines as a laxative, digestive and as a remedy for bile disorders.

 Sweet and tangy tamarind is one of the widely used spice-condiments found in every South-Asian kitchen!
 

In South Indian cooking, raw tamarind is used in many recipes making chutneys etc. In this recipe, I am making a spicy chutney using raw tamarind. Chutney is easy to make and tastes very nice using raw tamarind, when the pods are without any seeds (available during September or so) till the seeds are soft and not very hard.  This chutney is not a pickle. It can be preserved for 2 to 3 weeks when refrigerated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

•      2 cups Chintakayalu cut into pieces
•      8 to 10 green chiles
•      1 cup kothimira (cilantro/hari dhania)
•      2 Tsp. methi mustard powder
•      Salt to taste
•      1/2 Tsp. turmeric
•      1/2 Tsp. hing
•      3 Tsp. oil

Directions:

1.      Wash and clean green tamarind.
2.      Remove any stems or strings from tamarind.
3.      Cut tamarind into half so that the seeds (tender and not too tough) and remove the inner portion of the seed. (If you are making the chutney during September/October seeds are not formed in the tamarind, you need not do this process) .
4.      Wash, remove the stems of chiles and cut them into large pieces.
5.      Grind tamarind, green chiles and cilantro together.
6.      Add turmeric, methi mustard powder, some hing and salt.
7.      Process together till the tamarind pieces are finely ground.
8.      Transfer to a bowl.
9.      Heat oil in a small pan, add some hing.
10.      When oil is fuming, add to the chutney and close the lid for a few minutes.
11.      Mix well and serve.
12.      Makes a nice and spicy side dish for rice.