Mixed Fruit Chaatni

The Bengali Chaatni can have any fresh fruit as an ingredient. One of the most common being the tomato, of course. Other common ones being Aam (Raw mango), Pepe (Raw Papaya), Olive (Aamra), Anarosh (Pineapple) to name a few.

Tomato chaatni having become too common and more importantly there being only a handful in my fridge, made me think out-of-the-box. A peek into the fridge, brought out half a pineapple, some grapes and as I've already mentioned, a handful of tomatoes. So got down to an improvisation...with some seedless tamarind and dates (which are always available in my fridge) thrown in to the fruit medley, a mixed fruit chaatni, it would be!

Ingredients : what I used in this impromptu recipe Tomatoes - 3
Pineapple - 1/2 a pineapple (small one) - chopped into small pieces
Grapes - about 15-20 - sliced longitudinally
Seedless tamarind-a small ball soaked in warm water to make a pulp
Seedless dates - a small bowl full
Cashew/Kaju - broken pieces - about 30-40 gms
Sugar - 100 gms or depending on the desired sweet-tangy taste
black salt- a pinch
fennel seeds - dry roasted or microwaved for a minute
Dry Roasted Cummin powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli flakes - 1/2 tsp
Bay leaf - 1 (Optional)
Mustard Oil - 1 tbsp

Procedure :
1. Heat the oil in a wok. Throw in the bay leaf
2. Temper with the fennel seeds as phoron.
3. Add the broken kaju pieces and the chopped seedless dates. Fry for a few seconds
4. Add the tomatoes. Stir around in the wok till they are almost mashed.
5. Add the sugar. Mix well
6.Add the pineapples pieces, grapes, tamarind pulp.
7. Cook till they all integrate. Sprinke some water if too dry.
8. Check for the sweetness.
9. Add a pinch of black salt and the chilli flakes. Mix well
10. Before taking the wok off the flame, sprinkle some roasted Cummin / jeera powder.
The Chaatni will have a sweet-sour-slightly hot taste.