Indian Sweet Tomato Chutney

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

2 bay leaves

1 dried red chile, halved

4 tomatoes, cut into small cubes

1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger root, peeled

½ cup grated jaggery (palm sugar), or to taste

4 dates, pitted and chopped

½ teaspoon Indian black salt

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat; add cumin seeds, bay leaves, and red chile pepper. Cook until cumin seeds begin to sputter, 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Cook and stir tomatoes and ginger piece into cumin mixture until all the water cooks out of tomatoes, about 5 minutes. Stir jaggery and dates into tomato mixture; cook until jaggery dissolves and the mixture thickens, about 5 more minutes. Add black salt. Remove ginger piece and bay leaves from chutney before serving.