A Bengali meal often ends with a chutney, and we always prepare it with seasonal fruits and veggies. My all-time favorite has been this Bengali Tomato Chutney. You get the sweetness of the tomato and mild spiciness from whole fresh green chili. It typically served with rice, however some people like to enjoy it with crispy papadum.
Bengali Tomato Chutney
This is a perfect sweet and spicy tomato chutney for rice and also, a great way to end the meal on a sweet note. The key ingredients are simple and very minimal.
Juicy Red Tomatoes – For the best taste and flavor of tomato chutney, choose seasonal red tomatoes. The tomato chutney recipe always calls for fresh tomatoes, and you cannot substitute it with canned tomatoes.
Black Mustard Seeds – You use a tiny amount of black mustard seeds in the hot oil to temper the oil.
Fennel Seeds and Fennel Powder – You use the whole seeds in the beginning of the cooking while tempering tAnd use the powder at the end for the perfumy aromatic flavor.
Dry Red Chili – The dry red chili is only for flavor. It will not make the chutney spicy.
Sugar or Jaggery – You have to add some sweetener to enhance the sweet factor of the tomato chutney. Sugar is most commonly used, but you could choose jaggery or honey. Do keep in mind that jaggery or honey will modify the overall taste of the chutney.
Fresh Green Chili – The spiciness of the Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chutney comes from the fresh green chili. I like to just add a couple of fresh green chilies right at the end of the cooking. It doesn’t add a lot of heat, but a mild heat flavor. Sometimes, I do slit the chili in half if I want it spicier.
Different version of Tomato Chutney
You can prepare Tomato chutney in various different ways.
A friend of mine makes a spicy tomato chutney recipe with garlic and curry leaves. It has a nice heat kick and goes really well with dosa or any variety of savory crêpe.
Another variation that I enjoy is the roasted tomato chutney with coconut, which I feel work great even on a cheese platter.
Bengalis love to pair this tomato chutney with spicy mutton curry!
One of the most common ways this chutney is served is alongside a spicy mutton curry or spicy chicken curry. The sweetness of the chutney helps to balance the heat of the curry.
While this version of the chutney is my favorite, my husband’s favorite is Tomato Date Chutney. You can find the recipe of the Tomato Date Chutney (Tomato Khejur Chaatni in Bengali) in my cookbook – Taste of Eastern India.
This is probably the easiest and fastest chutney preparation. I make it quite often, we all love it and I hope you will try it too.
DISCLAIMER: This is an old post that I have updated with better photos and content.
Here are few other chutney recipe:
Kacha Aam Er Chutney
Coriander Chutney And Tamarind Chutney
Grape Chutney on Baked Brie
Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chutney
Ingredients
- 5 red tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons mustard oil
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1 dry red chili
- salt as per taste
- 3 tablespoons sugar (you might need more depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes)
- ½ teaspoon fennel powder
- 2 fresh green chilies
Instructions
- Slice the tomatoes length wise into thin wedges.
- Place a heavy bottom at medium heat and pour the oil. Once the oil heats up, scatter the mustard seeds and dry red chili. Let the spice sizzle up for a few seconds and then, drop the tomato slices.
- Sprinkle salt and sugar. Give it a stir. Cover the pan and let it cook for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are softened and almost cooked through.
- Pour 1 cup water season with salt and cook for 3 minutes. Drop the green chili and fennel powder, mix it around and taste for salt. Add more, if needed. Also, if you prefer the chutney to be sweeter, add more sugar.
- Let it simmer for 3 more minutes.
- Sprinkle a bit more fennel powder on top while serving.
- Enjoy it warm with rice or papadum
Notes
Nutrition
Sawsan
I love the color, it reminds me of summer. I can't stand this much heat but I would love to try a milder version
Kim Bee
This is lovely. My hubs would go crazy for this one. I love your photos.
tigerfish
Just a perfect complement to meat curries I must say. 🙂
Farwin @ Loveandothe
I too like my chutneys sweet with a mild heat . And love it with rice and curry ! Lovely photos,Kankana !
Magic of Spice
What a gorgeous chutney! I tend to make fruit chutneys and need to try this one, looks so delightful 🙂
Jean (Lemons and Anchovies)
Kankana, there is almost no food that I wouldn't enjoy just a little more with a condiment and this hits all the right notes with me. Love this! 🙂
Deepa
Mouth watering chutney !! SOmetimes I do add aamshotto. The shots are amazing...
Asmita
Hi Kankana,
I agree with Anuradha, this would get wiped out in my house too. Looks so colorful and love the flavors.I like the paanch pooran spice mix. I usually make a potato bhaji using those spices. This looks so yum and perfect with our Indian food.
Baker Street
This would serve only 1 person in my house. This pairs so exceptionally well with indian food. Its quite a treat if made right. Yours of course looks exceptional.
Marsha @ The Harried Cook
Wow Kankana... your photographs are getting more and more gorgeous every day! I love it... Thanks for sharing this recipe! I love tomato chutney and make it quite often, but I would love to try a new recipe for it - just for a change! Beautiful post!
Sobha Shyam
hi kankana...hopping here after a long time...fabulous chutney and awesome clicks..:)
mustardseed
I loved your photographs! The chutney looks amazing. I can practically eat tomato chutney with everything!
Jennifer (Delicieux)
Your chutney looks amazing. I absolutely love tomatoes so I am sure I'd love this.
By the way, I love the new design of your blog, it's beautiful, and your photos are stunning.
Yummy Morsel
Looks yummy and spicy!
Manasi
Oh my! how mouthwatering is that chutney! This will go well with so many things!
I love how the tempering has that extra fennel, full flavor blast!
I had made a similar chutney long ago and blogged about it, my friend ( from Orissa) taught me the same. The variation was that at the end she adds a jeera-lanka powder ( jeera & red chilli powdered) for that extra kick.
The stunning pics on ur blog have reminded me of it, must make soon! SLURP! 😀
Tina@flourtrader
A sweet heat in a chutney with fresh ingredients is just the perfect condiment to have around. It goes so well with a variety of things. Your photos are stunning and your blog has such a clean look. Nice on the eyes. I enjoyed stopping by!
nipponnin
How spicy is this? Gorgeous color! I will have some it on the toasted garlic bread. Yummy.
Sound V
Perfect combo with bread..awesome clicks and nice presentation..
Shumaila
Love all the photographs, kankana. And love the new layout of Sunshine & Smile:)
Charles
I just lurve tomato chutney... only problem is when I make it I get so little for the huge amount of ingredients I use. Massive sacks of tomato and in the end I get maybe 3 or 4 jars, lol 😀
Looks great Kankana!