Kul'er Chatni/ Ber Ki Chutney

Finally I can say some relief from the cold weather and the spring has arrived, as days are getting little bit warmer. Kids are now back to school after a long Easter holidays, and now this momma has some time to divert her attention towards other aspects of her life, and that includes food blogging.

This “chatni” in Bengali or more eloquent way of saying “chutney” in English, is one amalgamation of kul, dates, raisins and dried apricots and is a sweet preparation. However when ever my Ma would make kul’er chatni, it was always with topa kul- the fully ripened ones available easily back home. Now I thought even if the dried ones or the ripened ones, are not available here or may be it is, just that I never got hold of it, that should not stop me from making simple home-made chutney with the fresh kul/ber. After many Google searches, I finally came to conclusion that Kul in Bengali or Ber in Hindi is popularly known as Indian Jujube, or Indian plum, if you know any other name then do please add in comment section.

Uploading two pictures of kul- narkoli kul but the these are not dried or fully ripened ones, still fresh and green.And another normal ones.

And since its poila boishak today- the first day of "Baishak" month according to Bengali calender, it will be appropriate to post a sweet chutney recipe made with these kul or ber. I know things could have been different had I stayed back in India, with sweet gift packs coming from our reliable grocery walah or neighborhood modi khana, but this is what I will try to make today –some payesh and chatani. And for the rest of the things will wait till I fly back to home.

Now to the recipe for Kul’er Chatni

Kul’er chatni-Ber ki Chutney-Sweet Chutney preparation of Indian Jujube/Indian Plum

Recipe requirements

About a big bowl of kul/ber/Indian Jujube/Indian plum

5-6 dates/khejur

½ cup of raisins/sultanas

¼ cup of dried apricots

1 cup of sugar

½ tsp of oil

½ tsp of panch phoron or Black mustard seeds-shorshe

2-3 dry red pepper

Method

De –stone the kul/ber.And cut into small pieces.

Heat up a saucepan, add oil, temper it with panch phoron and dry red pepper.

Then add in kul, dates, raisins and dried apricots.

Add in sugar and about 3-4 tbs of water. Lower the flame and, let it simmer slowly for about 10-15 mints or till all the ingredients turn out mushy. This is kul’er chatni and made in easy way.To spice up little more-add in grounded panch phoron powder at the end. Personally I don't prefer adding panch phoron gurun/powder to home-made chatni,but this should not stop you from doing so.

This chatni is great accompaniment with warm cooked khichuri and beguni…

And wish you all Shubho Nababorsho, Baishaki, Rongali-Bihu,Puthandu and Vishu ….

Poila Boishak er onek Preeti and Shubecha.