TOMATO PACHADI

 TOMATO PACHADI

I remember reading that tomatoes were brought to India in the 16th century by the Portuguese. These days, both in the South of India or in the North, we use tomatoes in so many dishes in our Indian cooking. Call it thakkakli in Tamizh or tamartar in Hindi, we find tomatoes used in almost every place that serves food- from the up market 5-star hotel to the common highway dhaba. 

Tomatoes have numerous health benefits as described in this article in Very Well Health.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with tomatoes, such as:-

• Tomato Saaru
• Tomato Kurma
• Tomato Thokku
• Tomato and Carrot Soup 

Today's recipe is for an easy to make Andhra-style Tomato Pachadi which goes well with our traditional breakfast of idl/dosa. I have adapted this from Tomato Pachadi from Swasthi's Indian Healthy Recipes.  

In case you wish to avoid the use of garlic, you can use 1/4 " piece of ginger instead at the time of grinding. 

We tried this out recently and enjoyed it with hot idlis for breakfast. 

Ingredients:-

• Tomatoes, medium-sized, 4 
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 4
• Chana Dal (Bengal Gram), 3/4 tbsp
• Urad Dal, (Black Gram), 3/4 tbsp 
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/8 tsp
• Garlic Cloves, 2
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tsp

For Tempering:-

• Mustard Seeds, 1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal, 1/2 tsp
• Hing, (Asafoetida), 1/8 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a few 
• Dried Red Chilli, broken into halves, 1
• Oil, 1 and 1/2  tsp

Method:-

Wash and chop the tomatoes

Peel and chop the garlic

In a thick bottomed kadhai, heat 1 tsp of oil  and on medium heat roast the Byadgi red chillies, chana dal and urad dal until the dals change colour and the chillies become crisp

Add the cumin seeds and roast for a few seconds

Transfer to a plate and allow it to cool

Add the chopped garlic to the same kadhai and saute, to this add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder and salt and mix well 

Cover and cook on medium heat till the soft become soft and mushy

Allow this to cool

In a mixer grind together the roasted chillies, urad dal, chana dal and cumin seeds on pulse mode till it gets crushed to a coarse powder

To this add the cooked tomatoes  and very little water and grind to get a chutney-like consistency

Check for salt and add if necessary. Transfer to a bowl

Heat oil in a seasoning pan and when it becomes hot add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the urad dal and saute till the dal turns golden

Add the hing, curry leaves and broken red chilli and saute for a few seconds

Pour this seasoning onto the Tomato Pachadi

Switch off the gas and transfer to serving bowl

Serve Tomato Pachadi with idlis or dosas  

CHUTTARACHA MULAGA CHAMMANDHI

 CHUTTARACHA MULAGA CHAMMANDHI

In a cookery group in Facebook in which I am a member, we were asked to share recipes of some favourite dishes. In this way, I was introduced to this lip smacking spicy Chuttaracha Mulaga Chammandhi by Mr Anil Kumar Ramdas whom I thank for this recipe. 

Apparently, in Malayalam, "Chammandhi/Chammanthi" is the word used for chutney. The dish gets its name from the way it is made. Since red chillies, the main ingredient in this chutney, are fried, its name  in Malayalam loosely translates to Fried Red Chillies Chutney. It makes for a delicious accompaniment to dosas and idlis. 

Since this recipe is from Kerala, I may mention that elsewhere in this blog you will some recipes from dishes from this South Indian State such as:-

• Mathanga Pulinkari - a curry made with pumpkins
• Ulli Theeyal - a dish made with shallots (small onions)
• Raw Banana Stir Fry- Kerala Style

I tried out the Chuttaracha Mulaga Chammandhi recently- I had not tasted this ever before- and we relished it with hot dosas. 

Ingredients:-

• Red Chillies, 8 or as per taste
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Deskinned Shallots, 8-10
• Turmeric Powder, 1/8 tsp
• Tamarind, size of a small marble
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Salt, to taste
• Coconut Oil, 2 tbsp

Method:-

Heat a pan with about 2 tbsp of coconut oil and fry the red chillies. 

Saute the red chillies and when they start changing colour add the deskinned shallots

Saute till the chillies change colour and the shallots become golden in colour 

Add the turmeric powder and sauté for another 1 minute

Add the curry leaves, tamarind, salt to taste and sauté for 2 more minutes

Transfer the roasted ingredients to a plate and allow them to cool

In a small mixer jar grind these roasted ingredients along with fresh coconut gratings 

I have added a little water at this stage though the recipe called for the addition of 1 tbsp of coconut oil 

Grind well till the coconut gets well blended with the ground paste 

Transfer to serving plate

Serve Chuttarcha Mulaga Chammandhi with hot dosas

 

UDID BHAJJUNU GOZZU (URAD DAL COCONUT CHUTNEY)

UDID BHAJJUNU GOZZU (URAD DAL COCONUT CHUTNEY) 

The South Indian breakfast frequently has idlis, dosa, appos etc, which call for some accompaniments, such as chutneys, chutney powders, and gozzus/gojjus. We are therefore always on the look out for more recipes for accompaniments for idli, dosa, etc.. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for different types of accompaniments, like:-

• Thogari Bele Chutney
• Raw Mango Chutney South Canara Style
• Groundnut Chutney
• Kara Chutney

Today's recipe is for a simple, easy to make yet delicious chutney made with roasted urad dal and coconut gratings. I must thank my friend, the renowned cookery book author, Asha Satish Philar, for sharing this recipe.

The consistency of the chutney can be varied depending on your preference. 

We enjoyed it with hot idlis for breakfast. 

Ingredients:-

• Urad Dal (Black Gram Dal),  2 tbsp
• Hing, (Asafoetida) a tiny pepper size piece
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 2-3
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 cup
• Tamarind, a small piece
• Salt, to taste
• Coconut Oil, 1 tsp 

For the Seasoning :- 

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp 
• Curry Leaves, a few 
• Coconut Oil, 1 tsp

Method:-

Heat 1 tsp of coconut oil, in a pan and fry the urad dal till it becomes slightly golden in colour

To this add the asafoetida and the Byadgi red chillies and sauté for a few seconds

In a mixer jar, blend together the coconut gratings, tamarind and salt, along with the roasted Byadgi red chillies, roasted asafoetida and the roasted urad dal, to a smooth paste, adding the required amount of water

Remove the ground paste from the mixer to a bowl 

In a small pan, heat 1 tsp of coconut oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds

When they splutter add the curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds

Pour this seasoning on to the chutney/gozzu

Serve the Udid Bhajjanu Gozzu with idli, dosa or appos. 

PEANUT SESAME CHUTNEY POWDER

 PEANUT SESAME CHUTNEY POWDER

When we were young, in India "groundnuts" was more commonly used to identify this popular legume, called Moongphalli in Hindi, Verkadalai in Tamil and Kadalekayi in Kannada. Probably because of the American influence over the last few decades, they are being more commonly called peanuts in India as well. Technically, peanuts are part of the larger groundnut family. 

In my house, peanuts are always welcome. I use them often in my cooking as they are rich in protein and fat and have numerous health benefits as well. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with peanuts, such as:-

• Congress Kadalekayi (Roasted and Spiced Peanuts) 
• Tilli Phalli Shimla Mirch
• Verkadalai (Peanut) Sundal

Today's recipe is for an easy to make yet yummy dry chutney powder made with peanuts and sesame seeds. I have adapted this from Peanuts and Sesame Dry Chutney from Vinaya's Culinary Delights.

This goes great with bhakris, chapatis, etc 

Ingredients:-

• Peanuts, 1 cup
• Sesame Seeds (Til), 1/2 cup
• Garlic Cloves, 8-10
• Cumin Seeds,(Jeera),  1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• Tamarind, pellet-sized, 
• Salt, to taste

Method:-

Dry roast the peanuts in a kadhai on medium/low flame till the peanuts pop and change colour
Allow it to cool and de-skin the peanuts. Keep aside.
Dry roast the sesame seeds till they splutter. Keep aside. 

Peel and lightly dry roast the garlic cloves. Keep aside.

Dry roast the cumin seeds for a few seconds

In a mixer jar, grind together the roasted ingredients: deskinned peanuts, sesame, garlic cloves, cumin seeds along with chilli powder, tamarind and salt to a coarse powder

Blend them well, using the mixer in short bursts in pulse mode. 

Please note that running it for long will result in the peanuts and sesame seeds giving off oil

Serve this chutney powder as accompaniment to bhakri, rotis, chapatis, etc 

Hints: 

• Don't blend the mixture to too fine a powder. It should preferably be slightly coarse
• You can vary the extent of red chilli powder depending on how hot or otherwise you like your chutney powder to be
• Dry roasting the garlic cloves before use is optional 

THOGARI BELE CHUTNEY

THOGARI BELE CHUTNEY

Chutneys are commonly made in South India as accompaniments of our popular breakfast items such as dosas, idlis etc. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for different types of chutneys such as:-

• Raw Mango Chutney
• Tomato Chutney Chettinad Style
• Spicy Amla Chutney

In my last post we had sampled Southekayi Dosas in which we make use of cucumbers. I had mentioned there that these dosas taste great in combination with a chutney made with thuar dal. We call this chutney Thogari Bele Chutney as Thogari Bele is the Kannada word for Thuar Dal.

This Thogari Bele Chutney is easy to make and I am sure you will enjoy this as much as we do!

Ingredients:-

• Thogari Bele ( Thuar Dal), 2 tbsp
• Dry Coconut/Copra Pieces, 2 tbsp
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 4-5 
• Tamarind, size of a small lemon or gooseberry
• Jeera, (Cumin Seeds), 1/4 tsp
• Garlic Cloves, 4-5 
• Jaggery, a small piece, or as per taste 
• Salt, to taste

For Seasoning:- 

• Mustard Seeds, 1/4 tsp 
• Asafoetida ( Hing), 1/8 tsp
• Red Chilli, broken into halves, 1 
• Oil, 1 tsp 

Method:-

In a small kadhai, dry roast the thuar dal on medium heat till it gives off a good aroma and changes color to a golden brown
To this add the Byadgi Red Chillies and sauté for a few seconds
Remove from the kadhai and allow it to cool

In a mixer, grind together the thuar dal, dry coconut pieces, Byadgi Red Chillies, tamarind, cumin seeds , garlic cloves and jaggery to a paste adding about 1/3 cup of water
Keep this chutney aside
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a seasoning pan and on medium heat add the mustard seeds,
When they splutter add the asafoetida and broken red chili and sauté for a few seconds
Switch off the gas
Pour this seasoning onto the chutney
Serve Thogari bele Chutney with dosa, idli etc

DONDAKAYA PACHADI (IVY GOURD CHUTNEY)

DONDAKAYA PACHADI ( IVY GOURD CHUTNEY)

One of the veggies I use pretty often is Ivy Gourd, variously called Dondakaya in Telugu,
Tindora in Hindi, Thondekayi in Kannada and Tendle in my mother tongue, Konkani. This vegetable is used all over the country.

Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for Tendle Bhuthi from Konkani cuisine, Thondekayi Yennegayi,  from North Karnataka and the North Indian Tindora Masala.

Today's recipe is for a chutney from Andhra called Dondakaya Pachadi and has been adapted from the popular cooking website Sailu's Foods.

For best results, choose ivy gourd that are tender yet firm.

Traditionally, this Dondakaya Chutney is served with steaming hot rice and ghee.

Ingredients:-

• Dondakaya, (Ivy Gourd), 250 grams, 
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Channa Dal ( Bengal Gram), 1 and 1/2  tbsp
• Urad Dal (Black Gram Dal), 1 tbsp
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 2 
• Green Chillies, slit, 3, 
• Garlic Cloves, peeled and lightly crushed, 6 
• Tamarind, size of a small marble  
• Jaggery, grated, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tbsp

For Seasoning :-

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Hing (Asafoetida) Powder, a pinch
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Oil, 1 tsp

Method:-

Wash the ivy gourd and snip off their ends and cut them into thin roundels

In a thick-bottomed kadhai, heat oil and on medium heat add the cumin seeds, channa dal, Urad dal and red chillies and sauté till the dals change color
To this, add the slit green chillies and the peeled garlic, followed by the ivy gourd, mix well and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes stirring from time to time till the ivy gourd turns slightly golden
Switch off the gas, allow this to cool and transfer contents to a mixer jar
Next, add the tamarind, salt, grated jaggery and  2 tbsp of water
Grind to a coarse paste in pulse mode and transfer the ground chutney to a bowl
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a small pan and do the seasoning by adding the mustard seeds on medium heat
When they splutter, add the asafoetida powder and the curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds
Pour this seasoning on to the Dondakaya Pachadi
Serve this as an accompaniment with hot steamed rice

TOMATO PEANUT CHUTNEY

TOMATO PEANUT CHUTNEY

In South India, we make a large variety of chutneys as accompaniments for the common breakfast items like idli, dosa etc. These are relatively easy to make and made with different combinations of vegetables and /or legumes.

Elsewhere in this blog, for example, you will find recipes for Kara Chutney made with tomatoes and onions;  Carrot Chutney, Groundnut Chutney, and Coconut & Dal Chutney

Today's recipe is for a chutney made with Tomatoes and Peanuts (commonly called Groundnuts in South India). We enjoyed the tanginess of the tomatoes and the crunch of the peanuts in this tasty chutney.

I have skipped the use of onion and garlic but these can also be used to make Tomato Peanut Chutney which is a popular chutney from the states of Andhra Pradesh/Telangana.

Ingredients:-

• Medium-sized Tomatoes, 3
• Peanuts, 1/2 cup
• Byadgi Dry Red Chillies, 3-4 
• Green Chillies, slit, 2
• Turmeric Powder, 1/8 tsp
• Tamarind, size of a small marble 
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tsp

For Seasoning:-

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing) Powder, 1/8 tsp 
• Urad Dal, 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves, 8-10
• Oil, 1 tsp

Method:-

Wash and roughly chop the tomatoes. Keep aside.
In a small kadhai, dry roast the peanuts stirring continuously till it changes colour
Allow it to cool

In the same kadhai, heat 2 tsp of oil and on medium heat add the Byadgi Red Chillies and roast for a minute

To this add chopped tomatoes and the salt and cook till the tomatoes become soft and mushy

Add the slit green chillies, turmeric powder, and saute for a few seconds
Remove from flame and allow it to cool
In a mixer jar, grind the roasted peanuts along with the tomato-chilli mixture and tamarind to a coarse paste without adding any water
Transfer the ground Tomato Peanut Chutney to a bowl
Next prepare the seasoning by heating 1 tsp of oil in the same kadhai and on medium heat adding the mustard seeds
When the mustard seeds splutter, add the asafoetida powder and the urad dal and saute till the dal changes colour
Now add the curry leaves and saute for a few seconds
Lastly, pour the seasoning on to the Tomato Peanut Chutney and serve it with idli or dosa.

RAW MANGO & CORIANDER CHUTNEY

RAW MANGO & CORIANDER CHUTNEY

This is the mango season and the time to make a variety of pickles and chutneys using raw/green mangoes. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for Mamidikaya Menthi Pachadi from Andhra Pradesh, Raw Mango Chutney South Canara Style, and Maavinkayi Chitranna or Raw Mango Rice from Karnataka.

Today's recipe is from North India. It is for a chutney made with raw mangoes and coriander leaves which goes great with sandwiches, samosas and other such snacks.

I have adapted this from Raw Mango Coriander Chutney by the famous Chef, Harpal Singh Sokhi.

Ingredients:

• Raw Mango, cubes, 1/2 cup
• Coriander Leaves, 2 cups
• Green Chillies, 3
• Ginger, chopped, 1/2 " piece 
• Salt, to taste
• Black Salt, 1/2 tsp
• Chaat Masala, 1/2 tsp
• Lemon Juice, 1 tbsp 
• Water, as required

Method:-

Wash and peel the raw mango and cut into cubes
Remove the coriander leaves from their stems. Wash them well
In a mixer jar, grind together the raw mango, green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves, salt, black salt , chaat masala and lemon juice to a smooth paste, adding just the required amount of water 

Transfer the chutney to a serving bowl
Serve with sandwiches or samosas or chaat

GREEN PEAS CHUTNEY

GREEN PEAS CHUTNEY

In South India, where we often have idlis and dosa for breakfast, chutneys are an essential part of our cuisine. These are generally made with coconut, dals, and also from vegetables. For example, elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for Carrot Chutney, Tomato Chutney, and Cabbage Chutney.

Today's recipe is for a chutney made with Green Peas. This has been adapted from Green Peas Chutney YouTube video by Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. This is part of his series of Simple Vegetarian Cooking recipes.

We tried it out and liked it very much. The addition of mint and coriander leaves enhances the taste of the chutney. This goes well, not only with idli, dosa etc but can be had with rotis and akki rotti too.

Ingredients:-

• Green Peas, boiled, 1 cup
• Fresh Coriander Leaves, roughly chopped, 1 cup
• Fresh Mint Leaves, roughly chopped, 1/2  cup
• Garlic Cloves, 2-3
• Ginger, roughly chopped, 1/2 " piece
• Green Chilli, chopped, 2
• Black Salt, (Kala Namak), to taste
• Sugar, 1/2 tsp
• Lemon Juice, 1 tbsp

Method:

Wash and peel the green peas ( if you are using fresh ones)
Boil the green peas and drain away the water
In a blender, grind together the green peas, coriander leaves, mint leaves, garlic, ginger and green chilli to a smooth paste, adding very little water
Add the black salt and sugar and blend it once again
Lastly, add the lemon juice, mix well and transfer to a serving bowl to serve the Green Peas Chutney

ROASTED BRINJAL CHUTNEY

ROASTED BRINJAL CHUTNEY

In India, where I live, we use the term "brinjal "more than "egg plant" to describe this vegetable. If, like me, you enjoy brinjals, elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for Baingan Bharta, Badanekayi Yennegayi from Karnataka and Begun Bhaja from West Bengal.

While we get different types of brinjals in the market, for today's dish you should use what we locally call the Balloon Brinjal. This has less seeds and is best suited for this dish.

I particularly like the amazing smoky flavour that emanates from dishes in which we roast the brinjal. Today's dish is adapted from Baingan Chutney by Tarlaji Dalal.

Tip: I often use a skewer to roast the brinjal over the open flame.

Ingredients:-

• Large sized Balloon Brinjal, 1
• Large Sized Onion, 1 
• Ginger Paste, 1/2 tsp
• Garlic Paste, 1 tsp 
• Chilli Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Green Chilli, finely chopped, 1-2 
• Coriander Leaves, finely chopped, 2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Juice of 1/2 a Lemon

Method:

Finely chop the onion and green chilli
Make a paste of the ginger and garlic and keep aside

Wash the brinjal and wipe it dry. With a knife, make shallow slits evenly on the brinjal. Keep the stalk intact.
On an open flame, directly roast the brinjal rotating it from time to time till it gets roasted evenly on all sides
Take care that it does not get charred

Allow the roasted brinjal to cool
Once it is cool enough to handle, peel off the skin of the brinjal and discard its stem
Mash the brinjal using your hands or with a masher till it is fully mashed and keep aside

Heat oil in a deep non-stick pan.

Add the finely chopped onion, ginger and garlic paste and saute for a couple of minutes till the raw smell goes
To this add the chilli powder, finely chopped green chilli and saute on medium flame for half a minute
Now add the mashed brinjal and finely chopped coriander leaves, mix well and cook on medium flame for 3-4 minutes

Finally, mix in the lemon juice and transfer to a serving bowl

ONION CHUTNEY

ONION CHUTNEY

In South India, we often have dosa, idlis, upma etc for breakfast or as a snack. This calls for some accompaniment for which we make many different types of chutneys.

Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for Red Bell Pepper & Tomato Chutney, Kara Chutney, and Groundnut Chutney.

Today's recipe is for an easy to make Onion Chutney which goes well with dosa, idli etc.

Ingredients:

• Onion, medium-sized, 2 
• Garlic, 1-2 cloves
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 3, or to taste
• Chana Dal ( Bengal Gram ), 1 tsp
• Urad Dal, ( Black Gram) 1 tsp
• Tamarind, a small piece
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tsp

For Seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida, a pinch 
• Curry Leaves, 6-8
• Oil, 2 tsp

Method:

Peel and chop the onions and garlic and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan, when it gets hot on medium heat add chana dal and urad dal. Fry till they become slightly golden in colour 

Add red chillies and saute on low flame till they change colour and become crisp

To this add the chopped onions and chopped garlic cloves

Saute on low-medium flame till the onions become a light brown. (Take care not to saute them for too long as the onions can then give a bitter burnt taste)  

Switch off the flame and allow the onion mixture to cool down

Next, transfer the mixture to a small grinder jar, add tamarind and salt and grind to a smooth paste adding 1/4 cup of water.
Remove this to a bowl and keep aside. 

Heat 2 tsp of oil in the same pan and on low flame, add mustard seeds and let them splutter

Now add the asafoetida and saute for a few seconds
Add the curry leaves and fry till they become crisp
Add this seasoning to the ground chutney
Mix well adding water if required to get the consistency/thickness you desire

Serve onion chutney with dosa, idli, etc

BIMBULA CHUTNEY

BIMBULA CHUTNEY

In Mangaluru and other areas of Dakshina Kannada, there are many trees of Averrhoa bilimbi the fruit of which is called Bimbul in my mother tongue Konkani. Please see picture of the Bimbul fruit shown along with the recipe. We make pickle and chutney out of this fruit. It is also used in place of  tamarind to make some dishes as it has a sweet-sour tangy taste.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find the recipe for Bimbula Nonche which is a pickle made out of this.

Today's recipe is for a chutney which goes well with rotis, dosa, idlis etc. The fiery red colour comes from the use of the Byadgi Red Chilli but I must assure you that the chutney is not as hot as you might think it is. If you wish to increase the spice level, you can add more number of roasted red chillies.

Ingredients:

• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 cup
• Roasted Red Byadgi Chillies, 7
• Bimbuls, 6
• Garlic Cloves, de-skinned, 5-6
• Coconut Oil, 1-2 tsp
• Salt, to taste

Method:

Wash the bimbuls and snip off the two ends. Then roughly chop the bimbul into pieces

In a mixer, grind together the fresh coconut gratings, roasted red chillies, bimbul pieces, salt and the de-skinned garlic cloves  adding just the required amount of water to a smooth paste. Do keep in mind that the bimbuls also leave some water when we grind them.

Transfer to a bowl,  drizzle some coconut oil and mix well
Serve as accompaniment for dosa, idli, chappati etc.

RADISH CHUTNEY

RADISH CHUTNEY

If you want to prepare chutneys with no coconut at all or with a minimal amount of coconut, elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for Capsicum & Onion Chutney, and Cabbage Chutney.

Radish, is a root-vegetable that is called Mooli in Hindi, and Mulangi in Kannada and in my mother tongue, Konkani. It has numerous health benefits.  

I came across one more such recipe for Radish Chutney which was pointed out by my friend, Sumana Bhandarkar. I have adapted this from the Indian Cuisine section of Blend With Spices .com.

We liked the chutney very much. Even if you don't like the smell of radish, you will like this dish as the spices totally mask it. This chutney should have a coarse finish.

Ingredients:

• Radish, grated, 1 cup
• Coriander Seeds, 1/2 tbsp
• Channa Dal, (Bengal Gram Dal), 1/2 tbsp
• Urad Dal, (Black Gram Dal), 1/2 tbsp
• Tamarind, marble-sized
• Roasted Red Chillies, 4-5 of the Byadgi variety
• Methi Seeds (Fenugreek Seeds), 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/8 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tsp

For Seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal, 1/4 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Hing, (Asafoetida) , a pinch
• Oil, 1 tsp

Method:

Wash and grate the radish and keep aside
Soak the tamarind in a little water

In a small pan, heat 1 tsp of oil. When it gets heated, add the coriander seeds, channa dal, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds. Fry them on medium flame till they turn golden brown 

Remove and keep aside to cool.
In the same pan, add 1 tsp of oil, and when it gets heated, add the grated radish and turmeric powder and saute on low-medium flame for 5 minutes or till the raw smell goes

Cook covered for another 5 minutes or till the radish becomes soft, adding a little water if required

Switch off the gas and allow it to cool

In a mixer, grind together the mixture of  roasted coriander seeds, dal and fenugreek seeds, and the roasted red chillies to a powder
To this add the cooked radish, along with the soaked tamarind and salt, and grind to a coarse paste by adding water, a little by little. 

Season the chutney by heating 1 tsp of oil, and when it gets heated add the mustard seeds, and cumin seeds, 

When the mustard splutters, add the urad dal and fry till it changes colour

Add a pinch of hing and the curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds.

Pour the seasoning on to the chutney and mix well

Serve with dosa, idli, chappati etc.

MOONGPHALI KI CHUTNEY (PEANUT CHUTNEY)

MOONGPHALI KI CHUTNEY (PEANUT CHUTNEY)

I associate tea time with a nice, hot cup of tea with a snack to go with it. If you are looking to make a quick yet nutritious snack at tea time, you can consider making Oats Moong Toast.

I found another delicious combination when I made toasts with Moong Phali ki Chutney ( Peanut Chutney) adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor Khazana's YouTube version.

You can either lightly toast the bread as I did or make plain sandwiches. To enhance the health factor, you may like to use brown bread.

Ingredients:

• Roasted Peanuts,  1 cup
• Coriander Leaves, 1/2 cup
• Small Green Capsicum, finely chopped, 1 
• Garlic Cloves, 3-4
• Green Chillies, chopped, 2-3
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh Lemon Juice, 1 tbsp

Method:

Roast the peanuts, allow them to cool and de-skin them. Keep aside.

Wash the coriander leaves and keep aside.
Finely chop the green capsicum. Keep aside.

In a grinder, combine the roasted peanuts with the coriander leaves, finely chopped green capsicum, chopped green chillies, and garlic cloves.

Add salt, to taste and 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice

Mix these well and grind to a chutney consistency adding just the required amount of water
Apply the chutney on lightly toasted bread slices
Serve with a hot cup of tea!

RIDGE GOURD PEEL CHUTNEY

RIDGE GOURD PEEL CHUTNEY

While we usually discard the peels of most vegetables, apart from making a dish out of the Ridge Gourd we also make a chutney from the peels of the tender Ridge Gourd ( Turai in Hindi, Heerekai in Kannada). We call this Gossale Sheere Chutney in Konkani. It is important that only tender ridge gourd is chosen for this dish, This is served as an accompaniment with the main meal.

Ingredients:

• Peels of tender Ridge Gourd, 1 cup
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Green chillies, slit, 3 or as per taste
• Cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing), a pinch
• Tamarind, a small piece
• Ghee/Oil, 2 tsp
• Salt, to taste

Method:

Wash and peel the tender ridge gourd
In a kadhai, add a little ghee/oil and saute the ridge gourd peels on low flame and keep aside
Next roast slit green chillies, cumin seeds, and hing for a few seconds till the green chillies get spotted
In a mixer, grind the roasted green chillies, cumin seeds, hing and tamarind, salt, along with coconut gratings, and the sauteed ridge gourd peels to a coarse paste, adding just enough water to get the chutney consistency.
Your ridge gourd peel chutney is ready.

TOMATO CHUTNEY CHETTINAD STYLE

TOMATO CHUTNEY CHETTINAD STYLE

Chettinad is a part of the State of Tamilnadu and is famous for its spicy cuisine which has a distinctive aroma. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for Paneer Chettinad, Mushroom Chettinad, and Chettinad Vegetable Curry.

We loved this chutney which was a superb accompaniment for Mallige Idlis.

This recipe for Chettinad style Tomato Chutney is adapted from the popular blog Sailu's Kitchen.

Ingredients:

• Large Tomatoes, 2
• Onion, 1
• Chana dal, (Bengal Gram), 1 and 1/2 tbsp.
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 2
• Green Chilly, 1
• Ginger, 1/2 ", finely chopped
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 tbsp 
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1/2 tbsp.

For seasoning:

• Mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Red Chillies, 2
• Curry leaves, a sprig
• Hing (Asafoetida), a pinch

Method:

Slice the tomatoes and onion and keep aside.
Heat oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai. When it is heated, reduce the flame, add chana dal, red chillies and green chilly and saute till the dal changes colour.
Keep aside to cool.
In the same oil, add onions and ginger. Saute for about 3-4 minutes till onion becomes transparent
Add the tomatoes and saute on medium flame for 8-10 minutes
Remove from flame and let it cool
In a blender, grind together coconut gratings, roasted chana dal, chillies, tomatoes, onion and salt, to a smooth paste to make your chutney.
Transfer the chutney to a bowl.
Finally season the chutney with mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chillies, and hing.
Serve with idlis, dosas etc.