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1
Soak the tamarind block in 500 ml warm water for 20 minutes, rather than cold, so the pulp loosens fully and releases all its sour depth rather than leaving it locked in the fibres. Work the pulp thoroughly with the fingers, then press through a sieve, discarding fibres and seeds. The resulting liquid should be dark, opaque, and smell sharply sour.
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2
Combine the strained tamarind water and jaggery in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, using a heavy pan so the base distributes heat evenly and the jaggery dissolves without scorching in hot spots. Stir steadily until the jaggery dissolves completely — no gritty residue should remain when a spoon is drawn across the base of the pan.
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3
Add the fresh grated ginger, dried ginger powder, ground cumin, and red chilli powder, adding the spices now rather than at the end so they have time to bloom in the warm liquid and give the finished chutney a rounded, integrated heat rather than a raw, dusty edge. Stir to incorporate. The liquid will be thin and deeply brown at this stage.
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4
Reduce over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the chutney reaches the consistency that decides the dish: it must fall from a tilted spoon in a slow, heavy, unbroken drizzle — neither pouring freely nor setting into a solid. Too thin and it will flood the chaat plate; too thick and it will not coat. This is where the dish lives or dies.
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5
Remove from the heat and stir in the chaat masala off the heat, so its volatile top notes — the black salt, the dried mango — are not driven off by prolonged cooking. The chutney will thicken slightly further as it cools to room temperature, which is the correct serving temperature. Taste: the finish should be sour, sweet, and warmly spiced in that order.