Yogurt Mint Chutney for Kabobs

INGREDIENTS:

Yogurt- 3 tbsp
Mint- A handful
Cilantro- A handful
Green chillies- 2
Lime juice- 1/2 a lime squeezed
Cumin seed powder- 1/2 tsp
Garam masala-1/2 tsp
Garlic- 1 pod
Salt-To taste

PROCEDURE:

1. In a blender, add cilantro, mint, green chillies, garlic, lime juice, salt, spice powders and grind to a smooth paste
2. Add yogurt and pulse till smooth.
3. Serve with grilled vegetables, chicken, shrimp, lamb kabobs.

Green tomato Ghosthu/Sabji

INGREDIENTS:

Green Tomatoes- 6 or 7 medium nos, cubed into small pieces
Garlic- 3 or 4 pods, finely chopped
Green chillies- 7 or 8 depending on your spice level
Curry leaves- A few
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Chilli powder- 1 tbsp
Coriander seed powder(daniya powder)-1 tsp
Sugar/Jaggery- 1 tsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Asafoetida or Hing- Few puffs

PROCEDURE:

1.  In a pot, add a couple of tbsp of oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, curry leaves. Allow to splutter.
2. Add the garlic pieces and green chillies and saute.
3. Add the cubed green tomatoes and all the spice powders and sugar for the tartness and some hot water and allow to cook well for 15-20 minutes.
4. Garnish with some cilantro and serve with hot dosas, chapathis or idlies.
   

Tomato mint chutney

INGREDIENTS

Tomatoes-4 cubed
Mint-5 strands
Garlic-5 nos cut into small pieces
Green chillies- 3 nos
Tamarind paste-1 tsp
Channa dal-1 tbsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Split urad dal- 2 tsp
Curry leaves

PROCEDURE:

1. In a pan with little oil, add channa dal, garlic, tomatoes, green chillies and sautée till cooked. Now add the mint leaves , mix and turn off stove.
2. Now add tamarind paste and salt and mix. Allow to cool.
3. Grind the above into a smooth paste.
4. Season by adding oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, asafoetida and curry leaves.
5. Mix with the ground paste. Serve with hot idlies, dosas, bajjis, puffs and anything you want.

Coconut Chutney with Red Chillies

INGREDIENTS:

Grated coconut powder- 1 cup
Dry channa dal(Pottu kadalai)- 1/4 cup
Red chillies- 2 or more depending on your spice level
Tamarind - A pinch, size of 1/4 inch
Salt- To taste
Asafoetida powder- 2 puffs
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Split urad dal- 1/2 tsp
Channa dal-1/4 tsp
Curry leaves- 1 bunch
Garlic clove(optional)-1 no

PROCEDURE:

1. Grind coconut powder or fresh coconut pieces with dry channa dal, tamarind paste, red chillies, salt, garlic clove(optional) into a smoothe paste.
2. Now in a  small pan of oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, split dal,curry leaves,asafoetida and allow the mustard seeds to splutter.
 3. Now mix with the ground chutney mixture and serve with hot idlies, dosas or any tiffen item.

 

Coconut chutney-Tamil nadu style

INGREDIENTS:

Coconut flakes- 1.5 cups
Roasted chana dal( Pottu kadalai)- 0.75 cups
Green chillies-3-5
Coriander stems/leaves- to disguise the yukky brown color of dry coconut
Asafoetida- 3 puffs
tamarind paste

Ingredients for seasoning(thadka):

Mustard seeds-1 tsp
chana dal-1 tsp
split urad dal- 1 1/2 tsp
curry leaves- A bunch

PROCEDURE:

1. Grind the ingredients into a smooth paste in a mixie or blender. Add the ingredients that have been tampered in oil and mix to the paste.
2. Serve with hot idlies or dosas.

 

Tip: You can soak some almonds for sometime and grind along with the chutney for some extra texture and health.

You can also add a little bit of sesame oil after grinding for extra taste.

Peerkankai(Ridgegourd) Chutney

We had this chutney with rice in one of our neighbours house. It was amazing. I got the recipe from them. From then on,Vignesh absolutely hogs on this whenever I make it. Its excellent with dosas and hot rice with sesame oil.Pretty easy too.

INGREDIENTS:

 
Peerkankai/Ridge Gourd-Peeled
Garlic cloves-2 or 3
Red chillies- 5-6
Channa dal-1 tsp
Mint leaves- A handful
Tomato-1 medium optinal
Tamarind-1/2 tsp
Asafoetida

PROCEDURE:

1.In a pan of little oil,add the peerkankai peel,red chillies and saute well till it almost loses its rawness.
2.Add asafoetida,garlic cloves,channa dal,mint leaves, tomato and saute them too along with the peerkankai peels.Make sure that the peerkankai peel is completely done or the taste is not that good.
3.Once its done ,switch off the stove and add salt and tamarind paste to the pan and let it cool.
4. Use mixie and dry grind the above with little or no water as possible. There will not be a need to add water if you add tomatoes.The chutney should be thick/solid and not watery.Its more like a thovaiyal and is meant to be thick.
5.Garnish with a few curry leaves and pour little sesame oil on top and eat with either plain hot rice or dosas.

Red Capsicum Chutney

INGREDIENTS:

Red Capsicum-1
Tomato-1 big
Green chillies-2
Garlic- 4 pods
Tamarind paste- 1/4 tsp
Urad dal and Channa dal-equal proportion- Appr 1 tsp each
Salt-To taste

Temper:

Mustard seeds,split urad dal,channa dal,asafoetida,curry leaves in oil

PROCEDURE:

1.Fry Red capsicum,garlic,tomatoes,green chillies and dals in a pan with little oil.
2.Grind with tamarind,salt.

3.Add tempering to the ground mixture and serve with hot idlies/dosas.

Peanut Chutney

INGREDIENTS:

Peanuts-Unsalted Roasted, 1 cup
Red chillies-2 or more according to your spice level
Tamarind paste-1/2 tsp

Onion-1/4 of a medium or 2 cloves of Garlic

Salt-According to taste

Asafoetida-Few puffs

Curry leaves-For garnish

PROCEDURE:

1.Grind all ingredients in a mixie or blender until smoothe.Add curry leaves after washing for garnish. No need to add seasoning for this one.

2.Serve with idlies,dosas,pongal,upma,lemon rice or pulihora.

Eggplant Gojju/chutney

This is one of the dishes that everyone likes in our family.In particular, my Father-in-law is a big fan of this dish. Its really awesome with hot and soft idlies and also goes well with crispy dosas too. The jaggery gives a twist to this dish.

INGREDIENTS:

Baby eggplant-5 nos or Big Eggplant-1 no cubed
Onion-1 small,chopped fine
Tomato-2 small,chopped fine
Green chillies-3 slit
Garlic(optional)-1 pod,chopped fine or smashed well
Tamarind paste-1 blob
Jaggery-1 small bit
Sambar powder-1 tbsp
Turmeric powder-1 tsp
Asafoetida-1 puff
Curry leaves,Mustard seeds,split urad dal-For tempering
Cilantro-For garnish.

Procedure:

1. In a pressure cooker,add some oil, fry onions,tomatoes,eggplant,green chillies and then add some water enough to immerse the entire mixture.
2. Keep the whistle for 2-3 whistles depending on your pressure cooker.
3. After the pressure has subsided. Open the cooker.Add the tamarind paste and some jaggery and let boil.
4. Now in a separate pan,add oil,mustard seeds,urad dal,curry leaves,asafoetida.Add the turmeric powder,sambar powder and salt and mix it with the ingredients in the pressure cooker.Allow to come to a boil.This gojju/chutney is supposed to be a little thick. You can add water accordingly.Do not make it too watery.
5. Serve hot with idlies or dosas.

Red Pearl Onion Chutney

This chutney is definitely worth a try. Its a bit of work to peel the pearl onions and saute the chutney till raw smell is gone but I can guarantee that you will not regret the effort taken.

INGREDIENTS:

Red Pearl Onions- 2 bags, peeled
Red Chillies-5 or 6. You can add more if you want more spicier
Jaggery or Brown Sugar-1 tsp
Tamarind paste-1 tsp
Salt-According to taste

Temper:

Mustard Seeds-1/2 tsp
Split Urad dal-1/2 tsp
Channa dal-1/2 tsp
Curry leaves-3 or 4 leaves
Sesame Oil-2 tbsp
Asafoetida-1 puff


PROCEDURE:

1.In a mixie, finely grind to paste the raw pearl onions, red chillies and tamarind paste and salt.
2.In a pan with sesame oil, temper with mustard seeds,curry leaves,split urad dal,channa dal and asafoetida.
3.Now add the ground paste from step 1 and saute till the raw smell goes away.Now add salt and jaggery.
4.Turn off stove.
5.Serve with hot idlies and dosas and lick the plate clean.

Note: You will notice that the chutney will reduce half in quantity after stirring for a while. The water will evaporate.

Tomato Chutney

This is a very simple chutney to go with Idlies,Dosas,Adais and what not.

INGREDIENTS:

Roma tomatoes- 1.5 nos, cut coursely and ground into a paste
Onion-1/2 cubed finely
Green chillies- 4 nos, slit
Mustard seeds, urad dal-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Chilli powder- 1 to 2 tsp depending on your spice level
Curry leaves and Cilantro- For garnish

PROCEDURE:

1. Grind the tomatoes into a smooth paste.
2. In a pan, add oil,mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, asafoetida(optional) and allow to splatter.
3. Now add the cubed onions, green chillies till golden brown.
4. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder,salt and mix well.
5. Add the tomato paste and cook for 3-4 mins until the color changes to dark red and raw smell goes.
6. Serve hot with idlies, dosas,adai.