KAIRICHI THECHA

 KAIRICHI THECHA

Here in India, we associate the hot summer days with raw mangoes being available in plenty. Raw mangoes are called Kairi in Marathi, Maavinkayi in Kannada, Mamidikayi in Telugu, and Ambuli in my mother tongue, Konkani.

No kid growing up in India would have missed that great experience of eating slices of raw mango dipped liberally in salt and chilli powder! 

As this article explains, raw mangoes have numerous health benefits.

Elsewhere in the blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with raw mangoes, such as:-

• Raw Mango Pachadi
• Maavinkayi Chitranna
• Mamidikaya Menthi Pachadi 

Today's recipe - Kairichi Thecha- is from Maharashtrian cuisine. Raw Mango is called Kairi in Marathi. Thecha is a dry chutney-like popular accompaniment for bhakri and roti. 

Traditionally, thecha is made using a mortar and pestle. These days since most people use mixers, I must mention that the grinding should only be done in the pulse mode to get the coarse texture required for the thecha.

Do try this out and I am sure you will love it! 

Ingredients:- 

• Kairi (Raw Mango), 1 of about 240 grams
• Green Chillies, 10
• Roasted Peanuts, 1/3 cup
• Garlic Cloves, 8
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Leaves, 1 handful
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tsp 

Method:-

Wash the raw mango and wipe it dry. 

Peel and cut the raw mango into cubes and discard the core

Wash the green chillies, remove the stalks, pat them dry and slit them 

Wash, dry and finely chop the coriander leaves

Peel the garlic cloves

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a kadhai and roast the slit green chillies stirring continuously till they get spotted  

Remove from the kadhai and allow them to cool

Transfer to a mixer jar

To the roasted green chillies, add the roasted peanuts, garlic cloves, cumin seeds, coriander leaves and salt to taste. 

Add the raw mango cubes. 

Grind on pulse mode till the ingredients are crushed and blended to get the Kairichi Thecha with a coarse texture

Transfer to serving bowl

Serve as accompaniment to bhakri/roti

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  

NELLIKAI CHUTNEY

 NELLIKAI CHUTNEY

This is the time of year when Indian Gooseberries are available in plenty. These are called  Nellikai/Nellikayi in Tamil and Kannada, Amla in Hindi, and Avalo in my mother tongue, Konkani.

As we had gooseberries readily available, I decided to prepare an easy to make yet delicious chutney with them to go with the breakfast dosas! 

We have been told that even in ancient times our rishis knew about the many health benefits of amla. This article details some of the health benefits  of gooseberries. 

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

• Nellikai Gojju
• Nellikai Saaru
• Nellikai Thayir Pachadi 
• Avale Kadi 
• Nellikayi Chitranna

Today's recipe is for Nellikai Chutney. For this you can add green chillies as per your taste. The addition of asafoetida and jaggery enhances the taste of this chutney. Overall this goes great as an accompaniment to our usual breakfast fare of idlis and dosas. 

I hope you will try this out and am sure that  you will like it as much as we do! 

Ingredients:-

• Large -sized Nellikai (Gooseberry), 2
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Green Chillies, 2-3
• Asafoetida, (Hing), 1/8 tsp
• Jaggery, grated, 1 tsp
• Salt, to taste

For  Seasoning:-

• Mustard Seeds, 1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal, 1/2 tsp
• Dried Red Chilli, 1- broken into halves
• Curry Leaves, 6-8
• Oil, 1 tsp 

Method:-

Wash the gooseberries, chop them and discard the central seed

In a mixer jar, grind together the gooseberries, fresh coconut gratings, green chillies, asafoetida, jaggery, and salt without adding any water- to a coarse paste

Now add 1/4 cup of water and grind once again to get a thick chutney

Transfer the chutney to a bowl

Heat oil in a seasoning pan and on medium heat add the mustard seeds and when they splutter, add the urad dal and saute till the dal changes colour. Next add the broken red chilli and the curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds.

Pour this seasoning onto the chutney

Serve the Nellikai Chutney as an accompaniment for idli, dosa etc 

 

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

 

NELLIKAI CHUTNEY

 NELLIKAI CHUTNEY

This is the season for gooseberries which are called Nellikai in Kannada. These are called Amla in Hindi and Avalo in my mother tongue, Konkani. 

Traditionally, gooseberries have been valued in Indian cooking. This article explains the numerous benefits gooseberries have for our health.

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

• Nellikai Thuviyal 
• Nellikai Rasam 
• Nellikayi Chitranna
• Nellikai Saaru

Since I had recently made Nellikai Saaru, I had some more gooseberries at home. I then decided to make Nellikai Chutney from our Karnataka cuisine. This is a dry chutney that goes well with rice or idli-dosas. I had learnt this long ago from one of our neighbors who is from Tumkur. 

We had this with our breakfast dosas and the chutney tasted very yummy! 

I am sure you will enjoy this Nellikai Chutney when you try it out. 

Ingredients:-

• Nellikai (Gooseberries), large-sized, 5
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Methi (Fenugreek) Seeds, 8-10
• Urad Dal (Black Gram Dal), 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 4
• Green Chilli, slit, 1
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Leaves, a handful 
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tbsp

Method:-

Wash the gooseberries and chop them, discarding the seeds

Wash the coriander leaves and remove them from the stems and pat them dry 

In a kadhai, heat oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds

When they splutter add methi seeds, urad dal and curry leaves  and sauté till the dal changes colour

To this add the Byadgi Red Chillies and green chilli and sauté 

Next add the chopped gooseberries and turmeric powder and mix well

Saute for 2-3 minutes till the gooseberries get done. Take care not to overcook them.

Switch off the gas and add the coriander leaves 

Remove all these roasted ingredients to a plate and allow it to cool

Once they are adequately cooled, transfer to a small mixer jar

Add salt as required

Grind in pulse mode, without adding any water, to make a coarse chutney 

Transfer to serving bowl

Serve the Nellikai Chutney with idli, dosa or rice.

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

MAMIDIKAYA MENTHI PACHADI

 MAMIDIKAYA MENTHI PACHADI

There are different types of pickles that we make using raw mangoes which are available in plenty during these summer months. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for Raw Mango Palu, Raw Mango Thokku, and Instant Sweet Raw Mango Pickle.

 I prefer these instant pickles as they are easy to make and can be made quickly.  They do not call for a long waiting/pickling period unlike the regular pickle. In fact, today's instant raw mango pickle can be consumed within a day of its making.

I used the Totapuri variety of raw mangoes. The advantage of this is that you can use it with the skin.

Today's recipe for one such pickle from Andhra Pradesh has been adapted from Mamidikaya Menthi Pachadi from Sailu's Kitchen. It gets it's name from the Telugu words for Raw Mango ( Mamidikaya) and Fenugreek Seeds ( Menthi).

 When refrigerated in an air tight bottle, this pickle can last for about 2-3 months. Make sure you use a clean dry spoon each time you serve the pickle.

Ingredients:

• Totapuri Raw Mangoes, chopped, 2 heaped cups,  each cup = 240 ml. 
• Fenugreek Seeds, 1 heaped tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Chilli Powder, 2 tbsp
• Asafoetida (Hing) Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste 
• Sesame Oil or Groundnut Oil, 100 ml or a little less than 1/2 cup 

Method:

Wash the raw mangoes and wipe them dry. Chop the mangoes with the skin. Discard the central seed.
In a pan, dry roast the mustard seeds till they pop and then set them aside

Dry roast the fenugreek seeds till they change colour and become a liitle red.
Transfer the dry roasted mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds to a small mixer jar
Grind them together to a fine powder and keep aside.
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed kadhai and when it is hot add asafoetida powder and immediately turn off the flame. Allow the oil to cool to room temperature. Keep aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the chopped mango pieces, chilli powder, salt, roasted mustard and fenugreek seeds powder till they are well blended 

To this, add the oil that you have infused with asafoetida and mix well 

Transfer to a clean, dry bottle and refrigerate 

RAW MANGO CHUTNEY SOUTH CANARA STYLE

RAW MANGO CHUTNEY SOUTH CANARA STYLE

Since childhood, we have always associated the summer months with mangoes which are available in plenty. While we enjoy the ripe mangoes, we also use the raw/green mangoes, which we call Ambuli in my mother tongue Konkani, to make many dishes.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for Thenga, Manga, Pattani Sundal; Green Mango Chutney; and Maavinkayi Chitranna.

Today's recipe is for a raw mango chutney/Ambuli Chutney  made in the South Canara District ( now called Dakshina Kannada District) of my home state of  Karnataka. Traditionally we use coconut oil for most of our cooking in these parts and therefore in this chutney too, the use of coconut oil is recommended.

This recipe has been adapted from South Canara Style Mavinakayi Chutney by Pavithra M. Adiga in the popular website Archana's Kitchen.

We enjoyed this chutney with dosas.

Ingredients:-

• Raw Mangoes, 2
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 5 
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds,( Jeera), 1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing),  1/8 tsp
• Coconut Oil, 1 tbsp
• Salt, to taste

Method:-

Wash the raw mangoes and chop them after discarding the central seed

Heat oil in a pan and on medium heat add the mustard seeds

When they splutter add the fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, and asafoetida

and saute for half a minute

To this, add the Byadgi red chillies and saute for a minute till they become crisp

In a mixer jar, grind together the above roasted ingredients along with the chopped raw mangoes and salt to form a paste without adding any water 

The raw mango chutney is ready to be served

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

SPICY AMLA CHUTNEY

SPICY AMLA CHUTNEY


In India, it is the time of the year when gooseberries ( which are called Amla in Hindi, Nellikayi iin Kannada and Tamil, and Avalo in my mother tongue, Konkani), are available in plenty. In my mind I associate gooseberries with our traditional Tulsi Puja and Tulsi Vivah on the Utwana Dwadashi day during the Karthik month.

After the Puja, we used to make some dish using these gooseberries. I also associate gooseberries with pickles and chutneys, made since my childhood. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes using gooseberries such as Nellikayi Chitranna, Nellikayi Thokku, and Avale Kadi.

Today's recipe is for a spicy chutney adapted from Spicy Indian Gooseberry Chutney by one of my favourite cookery experts, Nisha Madhulika.

This chutney makes for an excellent accompaniment to our traditional snacks such as samosa, kachori etc. Today, I have served this with store bought Khakra and it tasted awesome!!

Ingredients:-

• Amla ( Gooseberries) 3 to 4, or about 100 grams
• Dhania ki Patte( Coriander Leaves), a medium sized bunch or about 100 grams
• Kali Mirch ( Black Pepper Corns), 10
• Hing ( Asafoetida), 1/8 tsp 
• Jeera (Cumin Seeds), 1/2 tsp
• Green Chillies, cut into halves, 3 to 4
• Salt, to taste

Method :-

Wash the gooseberries, de-seed them and discard the seeds

Roughly chop the gooseberries and keep aside

Remove the coriander leaves from their stems, wash them in several changes of water

Drain away the excess water in a collander

Roughly chop the coriander leaves and keep aside

Lightly crush the black pepper corns and keep aside

In a mixer jar, add the gooseberries, coriander leaves, green chillies, asafoetida, cumin seeds, crushed black pepper and salt
Initially grind them till they are fully crushed
Add 4 tbsp of water and blend it well to make the chutney
( Don't add too much water as the chutney will then become runny and dilute)
Transfer to serving bowl and serve with samosa, kachori etc

RAW MANGO PALU

RAW MANGO PALU

All good things, as the old saying goes, have to end. One such is the season for mangoes. We wait for them with renewed interest next year! Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for Raw Mango Thokku, Instant Mango Pickle, and Green Mango Chutney.

The recipe for Raw Mango Pulu was shared by my friend Vinanti Gouri and many of us who tried it out swore that it was wonderful. Please do try this out before the mango season ends.  I am told that this dish is originally from North Karnataka.

I am sharing the recipe that I used to make this delicious hot and sweet pickle. I have used Everest Tikhalal Hot Chilli Powder as it gives a nice colour and is hot too but you can use any chilli powder of your choice.

It goes well with rotis as also with rice. Ideally raw mangoes should be used but it doesn't matter if the mangoes are slightly ripe.

Ingredients:

• Medium-sized Raw Mangoes, 2 ( approx 600 gms)
• Methi Seeds, 3 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 5 tsp + 1 tsp for seasoning
• Curry Leaves, 1 sprig
• Hing (Asafoetida)  Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Haldi,(Turmeric Powder)  a pinch
• Everest Tikhalal Chilli Powder, 3 -4 tsp or to taste
• Jaggery, grated, 1/2 cup or to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 to 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Method:

Wash the raw mangoes, de-seed them and cut them into cubes

Dry roast the methi seeds and the mustard seeds separately and allow them to cool 

In a small mixer jar. grind together the roasted methi seeds and the roasted mustard seeds to a fine powder. Keep aside..

Heat oil in a pan and when it gets hot add 1 tsp of mustard seeds

When the mustard splutters add the curry leaves followed by hing powder and haldi. Stir for a few seconds.

Add the raw mango cubes and 1 cup of water. Add salt and mix well.

Cook till the raw mangoes become slightly soft but see that they don't get over cooked

Add red chilli powder and the roasted methi-mustard powder prepared earlier. Mix well

Next add grated jaggery, mix well and cook on low flame for about 10 minutes
Remove from flame and allow it to cool
Transfer to dry bottle or jar. Remember to use a dry spoon whenever you serve this palu.

RAW MANGO THOKKU

RAW MANGO THOKKU

A thokku is from Tamilnadu cuisine. It is a kind of pickle/chutney which can be made out of vegetables such as tomatoes, gooseberries, or raw mangoes. It is served as as accompaniment with idli, dosa, chapatis or with curd rice. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find the recipes for Tomato Thokku, and Nellikayi Thokku.

Now that the mango season is on, I got some raw mangoes and set out to make Raw Mango thokku, which is relatively easy to make and yet turns out to be very tasty. You will need to use the ingredients based on your individual taste, especially considering how hot/spicy you would like the thokku to be.

Since we like our food spicy at home, I have used Everest Tikhalal Chilli Powder. Since this is quite hot, I have used 2 tbsp  but you can adjust as per your requirement. If you are using home made chilli powder which is much less hot, you could adjust the quantity of chilli powder as per your taste.

The colour of the thokku I made as you can see from the accompanying pictures is also enhanced by the use of Everest Tikhalal Chilli Powder.

Ingredients:

• Raw Mango, large-sized, 1 or grated, 2 cups
• Everest Tikhalal Chilli Powder, 2-3 tbsp, or as per taste
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Asafoetida, 1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Gingelly Oil, 1/4 cup 

Method:

Wash the raw mango, peel off the skin and using a grater finely grate the mango. Keep aside.

In a pan, dry roast the fenugreek seeds. Allow it to cool, then powder it in a small mixer jar. Keep aside. 

Heat oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai, and when it gets hot add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the asafoetida and saute for a few seconds
Next add the grated raw mango and the turmeric powder
Saute on medium/low flame for a few minutes till the raw mango becomes a little tender

Add the chilli powder and salt, mix well and saute on low flame till the oil separates taking care that it doesn't get burnt
Now add the fenugreek powder and mix well
The thokku is ready
Allow the raw mango thokku to cool completely and then transfer it to an air tight jar
It is then best stored in the refrigerator

* Always use a clean and dry spoon when serving the thokku

RED BELL PEPPER & TOMATO CHUTNEY

RED BELL PEPPER & TOMATO CHUTNEY

Not only is it so attractive to look at, but Red Bell Pepper ( popularly also known as Capsicum in India) has many health benefits. It has the highest amount of Vitamin C amongst bell peppers. The carotenoids in the red bell peppers provide you with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

I was looking for a new recipe to use some lovely red bell peppers that I had bought. I found the perfect one in Red Bell Pepper and Tomato Chutney in the popular blog, Sailu's Food from where I have adapted this recipe.

We had this with idlis and it tasted great.

Ingredients:

• Large- Sized Red Bell Pepper, 1
• Large-Sized Tomatoes, 2 
• Bengal Gram (Chana Dal), 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 2
• Slit Green Chilli, 1
• Cumin Seeds, (Jeera) 1 tsp
• Coriander Leaves, chopped, 2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tbsp 

For seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves, 8-10
• Asafoetida,(Hing) a pinch
• Oil, 1 tsp 

Method:

Wash and chop the red bell pepper
Wash and chop the tomatoes

In a non-stick kadhai, heat 1 tsp of oil and when it gets hot, lower the flame and add chana dal, cumin seeds and red chillies. Saute till the dal changes colour and becomes a golden brown, and the red chillies become crisp.

To this add the slit green chilli and the chopped coriander leaves and saute for a couple of minutes till the spots appear on the green chilli. Transfer the contents of the kadhai to a dish and allow it to cool.

In the same kadhai, add 2 tsp of oil and when it gets hot add the red bell pepper pieces and saute for 4-5 minutes.
Next, add the chopped tomatoes and saute for 8-10 minutes on low/ medium flame. When the tomatoes become soft, switch off the gas and allow it to cool.

In a mixer jar, first grind the dal-chillies and coriander leaves mixture till they get properly crushed
To this add the sauteed and cooled red bell pepper and tomato mixture along with salt
Grind this to a smooth paste without adding any water
Transfer the ground chutney to a bowl

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the curry leaves, and asafoetida. Saute for a few seconds, switch off the gas and pour this seasoning over the chutney

Serve the Red Bell Pepper and Tomato Chutney as an accompaniment for idlis, dosas etc.

CARROT METHI PACHADI

CARROT METHI PACHADI

Today's recipe made of Carrots and Fenugreek Leaves (Methi Leaves) along with lentils and spices is from the State of Andhra Pradesh. Ths "pachadi" is nothing but a kind of semi-dry chutney. I liked this recipe as it does not call for the use of coconut. We enjoyed this both with rice and rotis.

I must thank my friend Shamala Bhat for pointing out this recipe in a cookery group in which we are members. This has been adapted from Carrot Methi Pachadi in the popular web site Sailu's Food.

The sweetness of the carrots offset the bitterness of the methi leaves and the use of lentils gives the chutney a crunch. I hope you will like it as much as we did.

Ingredients: 

• Grated Carrots, 2 cups
• Methi Leaves (Fenugreek Leaves), loosely packed, 1 cup
• Urad Dal (Split Black Gram Dal, 1 tbsp
• Chana Dal (Split Bengal Gram), 1 tbsp
• Jeera (Cumin Seeds), 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Roasted Byadgi Red Chillies, 2
• Garlic Flakes, 5
• Green Chillies, slit, 2
• Grated Jaggery, 1 tbsp, 
• Salt, to taste
• Lemon Juice, 1 tbsp
• Oil, 3 tsp

For Seasoning:-:

• Mustard Seeds, 1/ 2 tsp
• Urad Dal, 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves, 8-10
• Oil, 1 tsp

Method:

Wash and grate the carrots and keep aside

Pluck the methi leaves from their stems, wash well and pat dry. Keep aside.
Grate the jaggery and keep aside
In a thick-bottomed non-stick kadhai heat 1 tsp of oil and when it gets hot add the garlic, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, and mustard seeds. Fry on medium heat till the dals change colour, become golden and give off a good aroma. Transfer to a plate and keep aside. *Since I used Roasted Byadgi Red Chillies, I have not added red chillies in this step for roasting
In the same kadhai, add 1 tsp oil, fry the slit green chillies and the grated carrot for about 3-4 minutes till the rawness of the carrot goes. Remove and keep aside.
Next add 1 tsp oil and the methi leaves and saute for about 3 minutes till the methi leaves wilt
Remove to a plate and allow it to cool
Grind the mixture of dals, garlic and spices and roasted red chillies to a coarse paste without adding any water
To this add the sauteed carrot and methi, along with grated jaggery and salt
Grind once again using the minimum water required to get a coarse semi-dry chutney
Finally, season the chutney with mustard seeds, urad dal, and curry leaves
Pour the seasoning to the chutney, add the lemon juice and mix well

GROUNDNUT CHUTNEY

GROUNDNUT CHUTNEY

There are many types of chutney that we make out of groundnuts (peanuts). You will find recipes for some of them like Roasted Peanut Chutney and Moongphali Ki Chutney elsewhere in this blog. Today's recipe for another type of Groundnut Chutney is adapted from one given by my friend, Veena Mallya. In this recipe, we don't use any coconut at all unlike many South Indian chutneys which call for the use of considerable amounts of coconut.

The taste of the chutney is enhanced by the use of  Fried Gram (which is called Bhuna Chana in Hindi and Hurigadale in Kannada). This chutney goes very well with idli, dosa, vada etc.

Ingredients:

• Groundnuts, 1 cup
• Green Chillies, slit, 5
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Tamarind, a small piece,
• Coriander Leaves, loosely packed, 1 cup
• Cumin Seeds (Jeera) 1 tsp
• Garlic Cloves, 5
• Fried Gram, 2 tbsp
• Sugar, 1/2 tsp (optional) 
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tsp

Method:

In a kadhai, dry roast the groundnuts and when they are cool enough to handle, de- skin them and keep aside

Heat 1 tsp of oil in the same kadhai, and when it gets heated add the slit green chillies and fry for a few seconds

Add the curry leaves and tamarind and fry for a while

Next add the coriander leaves and fry for a few seconds

Switch off the gas and allow it to cool
To this add cumin seeds, garlic cloves, fried gram, sugar, and salt. 

Transfer this to a mixer and grind using just the required amount of water to make a coarse chutney

#Tip: Always slit or cut the green chillies before frying them as whole green chillies are likely to spurt.

NELLIKAYI THOKKU

NELLIKAYI THOKKU

This is the time of year when Indian Gooseberries are available in plenty. Called Nellikayi in Tamil and Kannada, Amla in Hindi, and Avalo in Konkani, gooseberries have many health benefits and traditionally have been used in South Indian cooking to make dishes such as Nellikayi Chitranna, Avale Kadi, chutneys/pickles, etc.

Today's dish is Nellikayi Thokku, which my husband's grandmother made every year as they had lived for decades in Tamil Nadu. A thokku is a pickle -like preparation which is an accompaniment for dosas, idlis, as also with the main meal.

Ingredients:

• Nellikayi ( Gooseberries), 15
• Fenugreek Seeds (Methi), 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Oil, 4 tbsp (for seasoning) 
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp (for seasoning) 
• Asafoetida Powder ( Hing), 1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 3 tsp, or to taste
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Lemon Juice, 1 tbsp

Method:

Wash the gooseberries, and  boil them in a pan of water to which salt and a little turmeric powder are added

Cook for about 5 minutes then cover it with a lid and let it rest for a few minutes

Let the gooseberries cool then de-seed them and discard the seeds
Place the gooseberry pods in a mixer and grind them to a paste without adding any water. Remove and keep aside.

In a small pan, dry roast the fenugreek seeds till they change colour. Remove and keep aside.

In the same pan, dry roast the mustard seeds till they pop

Next, in a small grinder jar, grind together the roasted fenugreek seeds and the roasted mustard seeds to a powder. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadhai and when it gets hot add mustard seeds and when they splutter add the asafoetida powder, fry for a few seconds then add the ground gooseberries paste and fry for a few more seconds

Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder, and salt

Mix well and keep stirring till they get well-blended and the thokku becomes thick 

Now add the ground fenugreek and mustard powder and mix well again

Lastly, add the lime juice, mix well, and switch off the gas

Your nellikayi thokku is ready to be served.

Remember to cool it completely before storing in air tight jars

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.

KIWI FRUIT CHUTNEY

KIWI FRUIT CHUTNEY

The kiwi fruit, which is famous for its unique sweet flavour, has a wide range of health benefits. It is usually used in salads, desserts and the like but I was interested to find that my friend, Suphala Shenoy had shared a recipe for a chutney made of kiwi fruit, coriander and mint. This has been adapted from her recipe. Many thanks, Suphala for introducing me to this unusual but awesome chutney.

I made this recently and we enjoyed it thoroughly. We had this with rotis but you could use it for your bread sandwich as well.

Ingredients:

• Kiwi Fruits, 2 
• Coriander Leaves, 1 cup
• Mint Leaves, 1/2 cup
• Green Chillies, 3
• Ginger, 1 " piece
• Salt, to taste
• Lime Juice, 2 tsp

Method:

Remove the coriander leaves and mint leaves from the stems and wash thoroughly

Wash and peel the kiwi fruits and cut them into pieces

Chop the green chillies and ginger

In a mixer, grind all the ingredients mentioned to a smooth paste to make the chutney.

CAPSICUM AND ONION CHUTNEY

CAPSICUM AND ONION CHUTNEY

We have a number of chutneys made out of vegetables, elsewhere in this blog such as Carrot Chutney, Cabbage Chutney, and Tomato Chutney. The one I share today is made of  Capsicum.

These days I try to make chutneys without using coconut or with the minimal use of the same.  I was happy therefore to find this recipe for Capsicum Chutney which does not call for the use of coconut at all. I have adapted this from my friend Aparna G. Prabhu's blog, Aps Kitchen.

The use of onions tends to add a little sweetness to the chutney, which you can balance by using the right amount of green chillies to suit your taste.

This tasted great with idlis and dosas.

Ingredients:

• Capsicum,  medium-sized, 2
• Onions, medium-sized, 2
• Green Chillies, slit, 4, or to taste
• Ginger, grated, 1 tsp
• Garlic, peeled, 3 pods
• Lime Juice, 1 tsp
• Oil, 2 tsp
• Salt, to taste

For the seasoning:

• Oil, 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds (Jeera), 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida, ( Hing)  a pinch
• Curry Leaves, a few

Method:

Wash the capsicums, de-seed and chop them into small pieces 

Chop the onions into small pieces

Heat oil in a kadhai, and when it gets hot add the slit green chillies and fry for a few seconds

Add the grated ginger, and garlic and saute

Next add the chopped capsicum and onion

Fry for a while till the raw smell goes

Take it off the flame and allow it to cool

Transfer to a mixer, add lime juice, and salt to taste and grind to a smooth paste adding very little water

Remove the chutney to a bowl
In a kadhai, heat oil and when it gets hot add mustard seeds, and when they splutter add cumin seeds, followed by asafoetida and curry leaves.
Pour this seasoning over the chutney
Serve with idlis or dosas

KOLAMBE GOJJU

KOLAMBE GOJJU

Mention of Kolambe Gojju, a kind of chutney made of raw mangoes, brings back memories of my husband's grandmother who used to make this delicious gojju often as it was one of his favourite dishes. Traditionally, raw mangoes were immersed in brine and stored in ceramic jars which we call "bharnis."

Since it is the mango season now and I didn't have any brined raw mangoes I hit upon another method to make Kolambe Gojju. I cooked the raw mango in a pressure cooker in salted water for 1-2 whistles. I found that it had almost the same taste as the ones stored in brine in the olden days.

Needless to say, if you are using brined raw mangoes, all you need to do is to wash it properly to remove the excess salt, de-seed and cut into pieces and grind as described in the recipe below.

Ingredients:

• Raw Mango, large, 1
• Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Roasted Byadgi Red Chillies, 3
• Garlic Cloves, 3
• Salt, to taste, only if required

Method:

Wash and cook the raw mango in salt water in a pressure cooker for 1-2 whistles

Allow it to cool, remove the cooked raw mango, de-seed and cut it into pieces

In a blender, grind together the coconut gratings, roasted red chillies, garlic cloves and the cooked raw mango pieces, to a smooth paste ( of chutney-like consistency) using minimum amount of water.

Transfer to a bowl, check for salt, and add some only if required as the raw mango has already been cooked in salt water

The Kolambe Gojju is ready to be served as an accompaniment to the main meal