Bengali Tomato Chutney | Mishti Tomato Chutney

Bengali Tomato Chutney | Mishti Tomato Chutney

Author: Rumki Paul
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Bengali
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Servings: 3-4 Persons

Mishti Tomato Chutney is a pure Bengali delicacy. It is a delectably sweet, tangy and spicy Chutney recipe where chopped Tomatoes are cooked with Sugar/ Jaggery, some Cashews and Raisins in ground Panch phoran masala. It is a very quick and easy recipe.

Indian cuisine is very popular for different varieties of Chutneys. In every region, it has its own different style, texture, flavour and taste of chutneys. There are more than hundreds of chutney recipes in Indian cuisine. Indian chutneys cover almost all the tastes like sweet, salty, sour and chilli hot etc.

Tomato Chutney

Tomato Chutney is prepared in more than hundreds of varieties in India. Tomato is one of the most used key ingredients for the chutney recipes.

Each state in India has their own way of preparing different types of chutneys with different taste like Tomato chutney with onion, Tomato Pachdi, Kara Chutney, Dosa chutney, Tomato thokku and many more.

Recipes with Tomato Chutney is one of my most favourite condiments, specially the Bengali Tomato Chutney. As a Bong, I have grown up by having this spicy sweet & sour chutney. Having this chutney at the end of the lunch, is like an every week story. From Saraswati Puja to Kali Puja, this delicious chutney is served in every pandal with Bhog er Prasad.

Bengali Tomato Chutney can be prepared in different ranges by using khajur, aamsatta or dry fruits and many more.

Bengali Tomato Chutney with step by step photos and instructions has been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. But before jumping into the recipe, I would like to explain few interesting things about the dish.

Sweet Tomato Chutney is very renowned in Bengali cuisine. It is known for its succulent taste and simplicity. It is normally served between Main Course and Dessert. In any Bong celebration, people consider it incomplete without Chutneys. In fact, any reputed Bengali restaurants would always add one sweet-tangy chutney in their Thali meals. Sweet-tangy chutneys are mostly prepared with Tomatoes, raw Mangoes, Pineapples, Papayas, Jujube fruit and many more.

How to make Mishti Tomato Chutney?

In this Tomato Chutney recipe, I have not used any whole spice other than dry red Chillies for the tempering of the dish.

For this recipe with Tomato, I have deseeded the tomatoes properly and then chopped them. First, I have slow cooked the tomatoes with some Salt and Turmeric powder.

I have used Sugar to sweeten the chutney. Many people use jaggery too and both work great for the condiment.

I have added Raisins and Cashew nuts into it. They give a nice taste and bite to the dish.

I have used roasted ground Panch Phoran to flavour up the chutney.

What is Panch Phoran?

Though Panch Phoran is a very familiar spice of Bengal, but still many people, from other regions outside Bengal, have doubts about this spice mixture. Paanch phoran is a mixture of five whole spices which constitutes of equal proportions of Fenugreek seeds (Methi), Cumin seeds (Jeera), Nigella seeds (Kalonji), Fennel seeds (Saunf) and Radhuni (Trachyspermum Roxburghianum). Normally, in regions outside of West Bengal, Radhuni is replaced by Black Mustard seeds (Sorshe). In fact, the panch phoran masala that I have used contains black mustard seeds.

How to make Bengali Chutney Masala?

For the roasted ground Panch Phoran masala, first I have taken a dry pan and added the Panch Phoran spices. Then in low flame, I have dry roasted them for 2-3 minutes until the nice aroma comes out. In this process, we need to stir the spices continuously, else the spices can get burnt. Then I kept the spices aside and allowed them to cool off. After that I have grinded the spices in a grinder. Many people love to add dry red Chillies too in this spice mixture to make the masala hot. If you prefer spicy food, then you can add it.

Ingredients:

• 4 Tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
• ½ Lemon
• 1 tablespoon Raisins
• 1 tablespoon Cashew nuts, split
• 2 Whole Red Dry Chilli
• ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Roasted ground Panch Phoran masala
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon Sugar (Quantity may vary according to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• 1 tablespoon Oil for cooking
• ½ cup water

1. Put 1 tablespoon Oil into the pan and wait until the Oil is hot.
   

2. Add whole red dry Chillies and let them crackle.
   

3. Add the chopped Tomatoes into the pan and stir them properly.
   

4. Add Salt and give a nice mix.
   

5. Add Turmeric powder and mix them nicely.
   

6. Cover the pan and cook them in low flame for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

7. Cook them until the Tomatoes become tender.
   

8. Add Raisins into the pan.
   

9. Add Cashew nuts and give a nice mix.
   

10. Cook them in low lame for another 2-3 minutes.
11. Add Roasted ground Panch Phoran masala and give a nice stir.
    

12. Cook them for a minute in low flame.
    

13. Add sugar and mix it until the sugar melts.
    
    

14. Add water and give a nice stir.
    

15. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for couple of minutes.
    

     

16. Switch off the flame and put the pan down.
    

17. Squeeze the Lemon juice at the end and give a nice mix.