Bengali tomato-date chutney (tomato khejur chutney)
Vegetarian
টমেটো খেজুরের চাটনি · ṭomeṭo khejurer cāṭni
Tomatoes cooked down with dates, raisins, ginger and a panch phoron tempering into a sweet, tangy, jammy chutney. Served towards the end of a Bengali meal to cleanse the palate before dessert.
Bengali tomato-date chutney (tomato khejur chutney) is a Bengali condiment from India, ready in about 35 minutes and made with tomato and dates. It serves 8 and is rated easy to cook.
No licensed photograph of this dish yet.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 8
- Level
- Easy
- Calories
- 100
Ingredients
Panch phoron
Method
Step 1
Heat the mustard oil (opens in a new tab) in a wide pan until it just smokes, then lower the heat. Add the five panch phoron seeds and the dried chilli and let them crackle for 15–20 seconds.
- 2 min
- medium heat
- Frying pan / skillet (opens in a new tab)
Food safety: Hot oil spits when curry leaves and seeds go in; keep your face back and have the lid nearby.
Step 2
Add the ginger, then the tomatoes (opens in a new tab), turmeric (opens in a new tab) and salt. Cook, stirring and pressing the tomatoes, until they collapse and the mixture thickens.
- 10 min
- medium heat
- Wooden spoon (opens in a new tab)
Step 3
Add the dates (opens in a new tab), raisins (opens in a new tab) and sugar (opens in a new tab) and simmer, stirring often, until glossy, jammy and thick enough to leave a trail when you drag a spoon through it.
- 12 min
- medium-low heat
Food safety: Sugary chutney spits as it thickens; stir with a long spoon.
Step 4
Add a little lime juice (opens in a new tab) if the tomatoes (opens in a new tab) were very sweet, cool to room temperature and serve.
- 1 min
About this dish
- Origin
- Bengal, West Bengal, India · Commonly attributedAlso popular in BangladeshMore food from India
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Condiments, chutneys & relishes
- Cooking method
- Simmered
- Taste
- sweet & sour, fruity, aromatic / warmly spiced
- Diet
- Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carbWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Vegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb - Good for
- Make-ahead · Festive & celebration
- Cook more with
- Tomato · Dates · Mustard oil · Mustard seeds · Fennel seeds · Nigella seeds
- Techniques
- Simmering · Tadka (tempering)
Allergens
- Contains: Mustardfrom mustard oil, mustard seeds
- May contain: Sulphitesfrom raisins
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
100 kcal per serving
Estimated1 serving ≈ 56 g · recipe makes 8
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 3%
- Carbohydrate 81%
- Fat 16%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 100 kcal | 178 kcal |
| Protein | 0.9 g | 1.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 21.6 g | 38.3 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 20 g | 35.5 g |
| Sugars | 19.1 g | 33.9 g |
| Added sugars | 10 g | 17.8 g |
| Fibre | 1.6 g | 2.8 g |
| Fat | 1.9 g | 3.4 g |
| Saturated fat | — | — |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | — | — |
| Sodium | 150 mg | 267 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 0.4 g | 0.7 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 245 mg
- Calcium
- 16 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 14 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 29 µg
- Vitamin C
- 9 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0 µg
- Vitamin B12
- —
- Folate (DFE)
- 11 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- Optional ingredients are not included: lime juice.
- Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): nigella seeds.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Aamsotto (dried mango leather), cut into strips and added with the dates, is a classic addition.
Common mistakes
- Adding the sugar before the tomatoes have collapsed — they stay in chunks and the chutney never turns jammy.
Serve with
- Serve at room temperature after the main courses with papad, as Bengali meals traditionally do.
Food safety
- Store in a scrupulously clean, completely dry jar (sterilise it in boiling water or a low oven and let it dry fully), and always use a dry spoon; moisture is what spoils chutneys and pickles.
Storage
- Refrigerate in a clean jar for up to 1 week.
Variations
- Aamer chutney: Raw mango slices instead of tomato, cooked the same way with panch phoron and sugar.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Masalas in this recipe
Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.
Whole-spice blend
Panch phoron
This recipe roasts and grinds it from whole spices (2.9 g for 8 servings (about 50 g)). The full masala recipe explains each step in detail.
Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.
Customise in Sauce & DrizzleReviews & corrections
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