Tamarind (imili) chutney

Tamarind(imili) sauce can be found at any Indian restaurant as an accompaniment to Samosas or Pakoras.  Depending on how it is made, it can be sour and thin.  I like my imili to be thick and a little more on the spicy side.  Now this recipe and method would have been easier with a food mill, but I did it all by hand.  I have plans to purchase a food mill within the next year.

Ingredients
17.6 oz Tamarind
4 cups boiling water
1/2 cups + 1 Tbs Sugar
2 tbs red chili pepper

1 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp toasted cumin powder (Take cumin seeds and toast in a pan and then grind)  

In a large heat-safe bowl place tamarind and cover with boiling water.  Let set 1 hour or until water is cool enough to handle.  By hand, break up the tamarind.  Either by hand or with a food mill, strain the pulp through a mesh strainer.  Continue until all pulp has been strained.  More water can be added to help this process.  

Once the pulp is strained, in a medium sized pot, combine tamarind pulp sugar and the rest of the spices.  Boil until until desired consistency.  Taste for flavor.  If it is too sour add more sugar, a tbs/tsp at a time.