One delicious chutney is the Chintha Chiguru Tokku, made with tender tamarind leaves. I have added the tamarind greens to the coconut chutney.

When I say tamarind chutney the only image that comes to the mind's eye is the sweet-sour tamarind chutney used for making chaats. But there are other chutneys too! Hello, Welcome to The Mad Scientist's Kitchen, Reinventing the Foodie in you! If you are looking to make delicious chutney then read on. I urge you to subscribe to our newsletter so that you get all our posts. We will not spam you, promise and the subscribe link is below or on the side-bar too.
Contents:
- Why Chutney?
- Ingredients for Chintha Chiguru Pachadi
- How to make Tender Tamarind Leaves Chutney
- Variations in Tamarind Leaves Chutney
- Delicious Chutney Recipes
Why Chutney?
Why chutney? If you follow my blog you know I am part of the Shhhh Secretly Cooking group. We take turns on themes and this month for our hostess Priya Vijaykrishnan's theme is Chutney. Check Priya's recipe for Tomato chutney here.
So thanks to the challenge I am paired with Preethi Prasad. Preethi has an awesome blog do check her recipes for simple yet delicious food any working woman will love like this AmbaKhatta. Preethi gave me tamarind and chillies as my ingredients. I gave Preethi horse gram and poppy seeds as her ingredients, see what she made.

Tamarind and me
The raw tamarind was ideal for plucking during Dusherra/Diwali holidays. We, cousins and friends, raided trees for the tender raw tamarind. Pluck and eat with salt and red chilli powder.

The tender leaves of tamarind we used to gorge on. They were not as sour as the tamarind but good! I think it was my granny who confiscated a big branch we had broken off. So that was my introduction to delicious tender tamarind leaves chutney.
How is tamarind used?
As we all know, tamarind is a fruit used as a souring agent. The ripe tamarind is very popular And is used in the Asian, Mexico, Caribbean and Middle East cuisines. The ripe fruit is very popular and is available as fruit, concentrate form. There are blocks of cleaned and destringed ripe tamarind available. I soak the tamarind and extract a thick pulp which I use in my cooking.
The seeds you can roast and eat. These roasted seeds are hard to eat but as kids we loved them. Even now at work one of our colleagues brought them much to everyone's glee.
The lesser-known fact is that the raw fruit before the seed form is made into a chutney called Hunshikai tokku. The leaves are used to make chutney, dals and even rice something like a pulihora. But first, let us concentrate on the chutney.

What is Chutney?
Chutney is a sauce, a condiment that you will find in some form or other in the Indian subcontinent. A chutney makes use of the season's fruits and is a delicious way to perk a meal.
Now, this chutney is something I remember because I remember the whack I got! After all, I was the eldest among cousins and was supposed to be responsible. Ajji and Amma are no more around to ask about the recipe. So I searched and found the recipe that was closest to the taste I remembered from here.
When I say tamarind chutney the only image that comes to the mind's eye is the sweet sour tamarind chutney used for making chaats. But there are other chutney’s too!

Ingredients for Chintha Chiguru Pachadi:
- Coconut: freshly grated coconut, like I have already said desiccated coconut is a big no-no with me. However, if you are okay with it go ahead.
- Tender tamarind leaves: how can we have Chintha Chiguru chutney without tender tamarind leaves. These leaves are light green in colour and small.
- Green chillies: the number of green chillies will depend on you. I have used 2 as they were very pungent. How do you know if the chilli is pungent? When you cut it you will get an aroma it is a pungent chilli it is a very sharp smell.
- Salt: I use table salt.
- Tempering: oil, mustard, asafoetida and curry leaves. Now if you want a gluten-free chutney use the rock hing or avoid it.
How to make Tender Tamarind Leaves Chutney:
- You need to get the tamarind leaves off the stem and rinse them in running water.
- Drain and dry them a bit before you start making your chutney.
- Add the greens, chillies, salt and coconut to the mixer’s chutney pot.
- Grind to a fine paste, use water as needed.
- Once you get the consistency you like transfer to a bowl.
- To make a tempering (I did not add but you can) heat oil in a small wok and add the mustard.
- Once the mustard splutters, add the asafoetida and curry leaves.
Pro-Tips to make Tempering:
- Remember to make the tempering on low flame.
- Also, a tempering splutters a lot so take care. Oil burns can be bad.
What do I serve with Chintha Chiguru Tokku?
This spicy and sour chutney tastes great with just about anything. Let us see the usual suspects idli, dosa, uttapam, adai, upma, khichidi. Why not Chapati, Bhakri, Thalipeeth, Steamed rice. Try it!

How do I store Tender Tamarind Chutney?
To store since I have used fresh coconut I stored the chutney in the fridge and we finished the next day for breakfast. In an airtight container the chutney will stay good for for a day or 2 in the fridge. More than that you may pop the chutney in the freezer and use in say a week. I have never tried it as I feel the taste is not as good.
Variations in Tamarind Leaves Chutney:
I have never tried both these methods and the measures I have given are approximate but the chutney will be delicious.
- In a pan heat oil 2 tablespoon and fry the ½ tablespoon peanuts, drain.
- Add the ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds and 4-5 garlic cloves and 2-3 red chillies.
- Stir for about half a minute then add the washed and drained tamarind leaves about a cup and fry till they soften a bit.
- Add 1 tablespoon of jaggery and transfer to a mixer add salt and grind to a fine paste once cool. You can add freshly grated coconut and grind too.
- Add water a little at a time to get the consistency you like.
- Your chutney will be reddish in colour.
The other method is
- In a pan add 1 tablespoon oil add the ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, add 1 tablespoon of split Bengal gram dal and split black gram on low flame.
- Fry till the dals becomes reddish, add 1-2 spring of curry leaves and 2-3 green chillies.
- You can add 3-4 cloves garlic (optional) add the washed and drained tamarind leaves.
- Almost immediately it will soften. Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool.
- Add 1tbsp jaggery and grind to a fine paste.
- Again you can add coconut to this mixture and grind.
- Use water sparingly and make a fine paste.
I have never tried both these recipes and the measures I have given are approximate but the chutney will be delicious.
Recipe Card:

Tender Tamarind Leaves Pachadi Recipe
Equipment
- chutney jar of mixer/blender
- Kadhai/wok
Ingredients
For the Chutney:
- ½ cup tender tamarind leaves
- 1 cup coconut grated
- 3-4 chillies
- Salt to taste
For the Tempering:
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida
- curry leaves a spring of
- ½ teaspoon split black gram
Instructions
For the Chutney:
- In a chutney pot of the mixer add coconut, tamarind greens, chillies, salt and grind.
- Add water as needed a little at a time.
- Transfer to a bowl.
For the Tempering:
- In a small bowl heat oil. Lower the flame and add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Now add the urid dal and let it turn reddish.
- Add the asafoetida and curry leaves. Take care as the leaves will splutter.
- Pour the seasoning on the chutney mix and serve.
Notes
Tip to make Tempering:
- Remember to make the tempering on low flame.
- Also, a tempering splutters a lot so take care. Oil burns can be bad.
Delicious Chutney Recipes:
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kalyani says
That's one lipsmacking chinta chiguru pachadi , arch! I am imagining the sour, fiery flavours with some crispy dosa / pesarattu! yummmm
ArchanaPotdar says
😀 Thanks, Kalyani
Poonam Bachhav says
A chutney with tender tamarind leaves sounds interesting ! Love the appealing color of the dip and can imagine how flavorful it must be!
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Poonam.
Mayuri Patel says
It is so sad that some of the indigenous trees are giving way to modernization. About 30 years ago I remember going for my daily walk with my neighbor in our area and plucking not only the tamarind but also the leaves and enjoying them. Now its so difficult to find a tamarind tree in my area! Such a wonderful idea Archana to use the tamarind leaves to make a chutney. Not only do I like the colour of Tender Tamarind Leaves pachadi but would love to try it.
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Mayuri. I hope for once we recognise the right of all living things on this Earth and not just us selfish humans.
The Girl Next Door says
This is such a simple chutney, but I can imagine what a punch it would pack! I absolutely love munching on tangy tamarind leaves too, and using them in a chutney is a great idea. Would love to make this too, and serve it with some adai. ????
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Priya.
Renu says
Wow, such a healthy and lip-smacking chutney this is with tamarind leaves. So good with pakodas, hope to try soon.
ArchanaPotdar says
😀 I love the pakoda idea. Somehow never occurred to me.
jayashree t rao says
Nice chutney with tender tamarind leaves. It must be so flavoursome. Love the beautiful colour of it.
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Jayashree.
Priya vj says
Chintha chigguru thokku seems like a burst of flavors in the mouth . You reminded me off my mom who used to love raw tamarind thokku a lot and she would love to munch raw on these tender tamarind leaves as they would be tangy and refreshing
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Priya.
Preethicuisine says
Tender tamrind leaves pachadi is absolutely lip smacking. I remember eating these tender leaves during my visit to my grandmother’s place.One of my most favourite pachadi Archana. Lovely presentation.
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Preethi.
Sujata Roy says
I never knew that tamarind leaves can be used in chutney. Loved the idea Archana. Chutney looks tongue tickling and superbly delicious. I can imagine the tangy lipsmacking taste. Enjoyed reading your childhood memories. Now I have to ask my vegetable vendor for tamarind leaves. We don't have any tamarind tree nearby. Can't wait to try.
ArchanaPotdar says
You get them in early spring Sujata. Now they must be all matured. Try next season.
Vasusvegkitchen says
We prepare dal using these leaves called as chinta chiguru pappu in Telugu. Never thought of preparing chutney using it. I am going to share this recipe with my mom. As she is big fan of tender tamarind leaves.
ArchanaPotdar says
😀 I made the dal too, Aruna and it tastes awesome. Thanks for sharing with your mother.