Tamarind Date chutney

This's the stuff you get with various appetizers in Indian restaurants, such as the starter pappadams. This is also great with samosas. Or dhoklas. I make this often.

I used food.com for most of this recipe:

1 cup tamarind paste (Laxmi brand, Indian grocery stores)
1 cup dates, pitted (or apple butter, to save time)
4 cups water
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon ginger powder
2 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups jaggery (unprocessed sugar - best in Indian grocery stores) or 1.5 cup brown sugar or 1.5 cup sugar

Method:
Boil the water and add the dates and jaggery to it.
Blend and transfer back to cook pot
Add tamarind paste and seasoning and bring to boil
Shelf life : 2 weeks

Coconut Date balls

1. High quality pitted dates (2 cups)
2. Ginger powder - 1/4 tsp (or cinnamon, if you prefer that flavor)
3. Coconut flakes - 1 cup

Soak the dates for an hour, and blend with the other 2 ingredients. Make balls.
The challenge here is getting all the pasty stuff off the blender!

Chocolate Mousse

3/4 cup cashews
1 cup pitted dates
1 can (15 oz) butternut squash
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup unsweetened coconut beverage
1 cup raspberries
1 TBS grated coconut (flakes)

1. Soak the cashews and dates in hot water, for 2 hours. Drain water fully.
2. Blend them to a paste.
3. Add all the other ingredients (except the raspberries and grated coconut) to the blender with the above paste, and blend again. In about 2 minutes, it ought to be done. Add some water if necessary (I didn't add any).
4. Chill, and serve with raspberries and a sprinkling of coconut flakes.

Note: A little less butternut squash next time...