Monday 1 February 2021

BHAJA MOSHLA DATES TAMARIND CHUTNEY



THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHUTNEY & SAUCE; I DID NOT KNOW; NEITHER DID I EVER BOTHER!

Just out of curiosity, I roughly searched about it and see sauce is a smoother version of chutney! Ketchup is a smooth but thicker version of sauce made with tomato mainly! And I read; at times, they use pumpkin too in tomato sauce! See, I burst into laughter reading it; it reminds me of that commercial; "ketchup hota kaddu bhara!" I again search and remember it was the Volfarm's Tomato Ketchup Ad! These days, I try to prepare SAUCES / CHUTNEYS / ACHAR at home.What I wonder is how do some companies offer sauces & ketchup at a price as less as 2$. If I am doing a CONDIMENT with TOMATO & CHILLIES, there is no way I can prepare a 200-250gm of it in anything less than 5$ to 6$ of costing charge! Because, I am a miser and end up buying a 2$ worth bottle of sauce keeping aside the one that is worth 5$; I find it a better option to prepare them at home. Doing them at home, I know the ingredients I use. 

THE BENEFITS OF HOMEMADE CHUTNEY; SAUCES; ACHAR!

In our family; INDIAN PICKLE; that is ACHAR was always homemade; quite a few varieties and in every season. Achar was never a store bought affair because the normal provision stores did not sell the typical Bengali kind of pickles; the sweet ones. Even if they were rarely found, the kind of family I hail from would not buy something, they knew they could prepare at home. I remotely remember, tomato sauces were also made, but seldom. I had never tried them in my home until a year or two back. I repeat, it is a better idea to prepare your own sauces at home; you know what ingredients you are using; of which amount; the use of sugar in it is controlled!The required ingredients are really less in number. Trust me, only vinegar can increase their shelf life and help keep them edible for a stipulated time period! May be big production houses need stronger preservatives for a longer shelf life of their products. If my sniffing power is too high, it's my problem!

DATES TAMARIND CHUTNEY; A CONDIMENT; MADE SPICY! COURTESY; BENGALI BHAJA MOSHLA

A few of my food blogger friends have the recipe of the original Dates Tamarind Chutney in their blog; many who I do not know also have it. I always had been following an Indian MasterChef's recipe of it for the past few years, the person is no more in this world! If I am not taking my friends' names, I may not take the deceased person's name either! Today, I do not need to either; this recipe of BHAJA MOSHLA DATES TAMARIND CHUTNEY was done without consulting any recipe. But yes; the basic idea was sourced from around when I did it for the first time; I did not use to even buy a Dates Tamarind Chutney whilst my stay in Kolkata! BENGALI BHAJA MOSHLA, in our family usually requires DRY RED CHILLIES, CUMIN SEEDS, CORIANDER SEEDS! At times, I saw BENGALI FIVE SPICES & DRY RED CHILLIES been roasted together and used as seasoning to enhance the taste of homemade pickles! Bengali Chutneys are an altogether different from what the Southern Indians have, those we call "batabuti"! I love those too! These days; I love, explore, cook a variety; serve on the family's plate what they like; rest goes inside me! Now, I will break my fast with three porota with egg curry & dal. Yesterday night, we got our dinner from the Subway; the lunch was with "koi maach er jhol", totally loved! Our help does not eat at home on Sundays; the child is stationed far off!



So, now you know why CONDIMENTS are necessary in my life; I keep eating all day, I need them. But three flatbreads are causing me discomfort! The help offered, I ate out of hunger and now feels overeaten!




INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE BENGALI SPICE MIX]

WHOLE CUMIN SEED : 1 TSP
WHOLE CORIANDER SEED : 1 TSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 3-4

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE CHUTNEY / SAUCE]

THE DRY ROASTED & GROUND BENGALI SPICE MIX
TAMARIND : 200-250GM
DATES : 12-15
SUGAR : 2 TBSP
SALT : A PINCH OR TWO
VINEGAR : 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE : 



While preparing a condiment; like achar or sauce at home, we should try to use less amount of water. More use of water seem to lessen their shelf life, may be because we are not using any stronger preservative. 

We will soak the tamarind in 1/3 coffee mug of water, mix both well!


We will keep it to rest for about 15-20 minutes! Then strain it well. 


We have washed the dates and soaked them in water for 1/2 an hour. We have de-seeded them.

We will take the vinegar, tamarind pulp, dates, sugar in a blender and blend well for 2-3 minutes; pausing every minute!


For the Bhaja Moshola / Dry Roasted and Ground Spices, we will roast the three ingredients at minimal heat for 2-3 minutes.



We will take the dates-tamarind chutney / sauce in a bowl and add the dry roasted and ground spices to it! 


We will fold in very well. We will let it cool very well. Blending generates heat, let it go before you pour it in a sterilised jar; preferably a glass one!


I usually keep the bottles refrigerated to be on a safer side! You should too, I cannot guarantee how long can they survive without refrigeration!





 

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