A versatile Bengali chutney and a must for bhog. The sugar in the chutney gives it the plastic sheen and hence it is also referred to as plastic chutney. You could make the same using papaya or plum.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a kadai (wok). Add dry red chillies, ginger juliennes, and panch phoron to this. Stir for about a minute. Add roughly chopped tomatoes. Mix so that the tempering is uniformly mixed with the tomatoes.
Then add 2 teaspoons of salt and cook on medium high heat. Stir occasionally. A lot of liquid will ooze out. At this point, add 1½ large cups of sugar (say 350 gm) and cook. More liquid will form from the melting sugar. This needs to be reduced down.
Add ginger paste and date pieces, if any. Keep the stirring going occasionally, scraping the bottom of the kadai.
Eventually you will see bubbles forming and a plastic sheen on the chutney. If bubbles do not form, add more sugar. Soon the bubbles will be visible, indicating that sufficient sugar has been added.
Turn off the fire and stir in washed raisins. Let the temperature cool a bit. Squeeze the lemon juice and sprinkle bhuna jeera powder on it.
Refrigerate
Be prepared to add lots of sugar as that’s what gives it that plastic look on top.
Do not add water.
The oil used should be clear and colourless.
Panch phoron: One teaspoon each mix of cumin, nigella, mustard, and fennel seeds and ¾ teaspoon of fenugreek seeds.
