"What do we have for dessert maa?" this is what 10 years old Dolon used to ask her mother upon finishing the meal along with the cousins while seating side by side on the floor. The Food was served on Kansa utensils and there was always a wooden board type "Pinri" to seat comfortably. At times instead of Maa there were my Mamoni or Rangama (aunties) to answer my question! The answer though always the same " try the Chutney; it is almost dessert-like prepared with Gur!". Be it the Gur Aam or the Gur diye Tentuler Towk or the Gur diye Topa Kul ar Tomato Chutney; our lunch table was always having a Gur-based sweet and sour delicacy.
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Gur diye Topa Kul ar Tomato Chutney or Chatni!
Talking about the Topa Kul ar Tomato Chatni, a seasonal runny Chutney prepared with Jujube or Ber and Tomato is a family favorite. Having the last spoonful of rice with the sweet and sour kuler Chatni was all love and my favorite. In the winter whenever I go to my North Calcutta residence during lunchtime with or without informing them; they fed me this Chatni with an extra serving for sure apart from other homemade delicacies.
Swaraswoti Pujo and Shitol Shoshti memories!
My roots are from West Bengal. Needless to say, I have grown up seeing my family making the Shitol Shoshthi Spread on the night of Saraswati pujo. A gala spread consisting of the Gota Sheddo, Postor Bora, Panta Bhat, Niramish Khichuri, Notun Aloor Dum, Patali Gurer Payesh, and also Gur diye Topa Kul ar Tometor Chatni was there every year and till date. I tried to learn from them and now I try to cook the same spread at my place.
We used to wait eagerly Saraswati Pujo to come and to grab Kul (Indian Palm) in any form, be it tossed with salt and pepper or the Kuler Aachar or the Gur diye Topa Kul ar Tomato Chutney.
History of Chutney
While writing this post, I was not sure whether to use "Chatni" or "Chutney!" Chutney. After all, is having British influence or better to say Anglo-Indian influence while Chatni is a true blue Bengali emotion. Then I found Food Historian Pritha Sen to write somewhere, "Chatni by virtue of its name lends itself to chetey chetey khawa!" Believe me, it is difficult to translate "chetey chetey khawa"; the emotion is such!
Tips
The mushy sweet and sour Chatni prepared with Topa Kul, Tomato, and raisins; tempered with Panch Phoron and sweetened with Gur is pure bliss! Ingredients are easily available, though, a few are seasonal; the cooking process is simple and the rest is all about chetey chetey khawa!
Here's how I cook Gur diye Topa Kul ar Tomato Chutney!
PrintRecipe Card
Bengali Gur diye Topa Kul ar Tomato Chatni
Bengali Gur diye Topa Kul ar Tomato Chatni or Tomato and Jujube Chutney/ Relish with Jaggery
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 5-6 People 1x
- Category: Pickle
- Method: cooking
- Cuisine: Bengali
Ingredients
- 150g Ripe Topa Kul / Jujube
- 200g Tomato
- 200g Gur/ Jaggery
- ½ Tsp. Panch Phoron/ Bengali Five Spices
- ¼ Tsp. Panch Phoron Powder
- ¼ Tsp. Turmeric Powder
- 2 Dried Red Chili
- ½ Tsp. Salt
- 1 Tbsp. Mustard Oil
Instructions
- Cut each Tomato into 4 pieces.
- Wash and pat dry the ripe Topa Kul / jujube.
- Using your hand press the jujubes to tear the skin or use a fork to tear the Jujubes. This will help to cook from the inside as well.
- Now heat the oil in a pan and temper it with Panch Phoron and Red Chilli.
- Add chopped tomatoes and semi-mashed (with the seed intact within) Jujubes and give a thorough stir.
- Start cooking on low flame covering the pan till the Tomato and Jujube soften for around 5-7 minutes.
- Add salt, Panch Phoron Powder, and Jaggery and mix thoroughly.
- Cook until the Jaggery is molten and the Gur diye Topa Kul ar Tomato Chatni turns runny.
- Once done, switch the flame off and serve the Chutney at the end of the meal along with Rice once cooled completely.
- This can be stored in the refrigerator for around 10 days.
Notes
- Jaggery can be replaced with an equal amount of Sugar.
- You can add a few Raisin if want to.
- You can escape the Panch Phoron Powder.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 50g
- Calories: 172
- Sodium: 399mg
- Fat: 2.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 37.8g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 0.5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Bengali Kul Er Chutney recipe, Gur diye Kul ar Tomato Chutney Recipe, Debjanir rannaghar
The Gala Spread of Shitol Shoshthi I mentioned above looks like this! Needless to say, it is having the Gur diye Topa Kul ar Tomato Chutney!
Have you tried the Topa Kul ar Tomato Chutney from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Do let me know how it came out. Also, I would love to see a picture of the same which you can share here at dolonchttrj@gmail.com. Meanwhile, on Instagram, you can use my hashtag #debjanirrannaghar and in addition, you can tag me at @foodofdebjani.
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Here's the Kul Tomato Chutney Pin for your Pinterest Board!
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
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