Yields 4 cups

This is the dark brown sauce-like chutney that appears first at the table at an Indian restaurant. It is traditionally served with samosas, fried whole wheat-flour shells stuffed with vegetables or minced meat, but works equally well as a dip or salad dressing. It is quick, easy, and can be refrigerated for three months.

1 cup seeded tamarind, loosely packed

1½ cups water

½ cup seeded dates

1½ cups brown sugar

1½ teaspoons red chile powder

2 teaspoons cumin powder

Salt to taste

1. Heat the water until it boils and soak the tamarind in it for half an hour.

2. Squeeze out the tamarind paste until only the fiber remains.

3. Blend the tamarind paste with the rest of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

4. Serve chilled. Sena Desai Gopal

Sena Desai Gopal can be reached at sena_desai@yahoo.com