Spicy Chutneys

India is famous for its chutneys.Chutney usually has appetizing flavor or pleasing taste. The art of making chutneys dates back hundreds of years. In India, there are more than 3,000 varieties of chutney, and each family makes their own version.And Here are my tasty,tangy varieties..

CHUTNEYS FOR TIFFIN ITEMS

Coconut chutney

Ingredients:

1.Grated coconut/sliced coconut-1 cup
2.Green chilies-3-4
3.Split channa dhal(Pottu kadalai)-3 to 4 spoons
4.Garlic -3 to 5 cloves(optional)
5.Salt to taste.
6.Ginger - 1 inch small piece(optional)

Procedure:

1.Put all the ingredients in a mixer and grind well.Add water to make it as a paste.

2.Seasoning:Splutter mustard seeds and coriander leaves in 2 or 3 spoons of oil and mix with grounded chutney.

3.Now the Coconut chutney is ready.

Note:Usually this chutney will be in white color.If u want in green color,grind coriander leaves with the ingredients.Also coriander has more medicinal values(helps in hair growth,purifies blood,helps in digestion etc).Use dry red chillies instead of green chillies to get red color chutney.

4.Serve this chutney with idli,dosa,vada,pongal and all other varieties of food u like.


Mint chutney

Ingredients:

1.Mint leaves/Pudhina leaves - 1 cup

2.Coconut slices - 3/4 cup

3.Split channa dhal (potukadalai) - 3 or 4 spoons

4.Green chillies - 3

5.Salt to taste.

6.Cilantro leaves - 1/2 cup

Procedure:

1.Fry mint leaves in a kadai with few drops of oil.Fry it for a minute or two,till shrinks or till the raw smell leaves.

2.Now put all the ingredients in a mixer including fried mint and grind well.Grind it to a paste.

3.Mint chutney is now ready.This tastes gud with idli and dosa.

Note:Grind mint chutney without channa dhal and also add a little/pinch tamarind while u grind,that will do best for samosas and cutlets.


Tomato chutney

Ingredients:

1.Big Tomatoes - 5

2.Red chilli powder - 1 to 2 spoons

3.Few Coriander leaves

4.Salt to taste

5.oil - 4 or 5 spoons

6.Mustard seeds - 1 spoon

Procedure:

1.In a mixer,Grind chopped tomatoes&corinader to a fine paste.

2.Place a kadai on medium flame,heat oil,add mustard seeds and allow this to splutter.

3.Then add tomato paste and stir well.Allow the paste to boil,until the raw smell goes off.

4.Now add red chilli powder and needed salt.

5.Cook this in low flame until the oil separates out.

6.This goes well with idlis,dosas and chapathis.


Onion-Tomato Chutney

Ingredients:

1.Big Onions - 5

2.Medium size Tomatoes - 2

3.Dry chillies - 3 or 4

4.Salt to taste

5.Oil - 5 spoons

6.Channa dhal - 3 spoons

Procedure:

1.Cut onions and tomatoes to a medium size slices.

2.Heat 2 spoons of oil,fry channa dhal till it gets golden.Then add dry chillies and cut onion,fry till it changes its color(to white or pinkish white).

3.Keep this separately.

4.Again heat 2 spoons of oil and fry chopped tomatoes.

5.Now allow this to cool down.Later grind all the fried items with little water and salt to a fine paste.

6.Splutter mustard seeds with a spoon of oil and mix this with chutney.

7.That's it.Serve this with hot idlis and dosas.


Imli chutney

Ingredients:

Tamarind syrup - 1/2 cup(350 ml)

Red chilli powder - 1 spoon

Green chilli - 3

Coriander leaves - few

Salt to taste

Asefotidea/Hing - a pinch

oil - 5 spoons

Jaggery - 25 gms

Mustard seeds - 1 spoon

Procedure:

1.Do seasoning with oil,mustard seeds and coriander leaves.

2.Add tamarind syrup and boil this for 10 to 15 minutes,untill the liquid starts becoming a paste.

3.Now add hing,green chillies,chilli powder,Jaggery and salt to taste.Let this boil for 8 to 10 minutes.

4.Now the tamarind chutney is ready to serve with idli,dosa,samsos,cutlets and even for curd rice.


Raw chutney

Ingredients:

1.Onion - 3

2.Tomato - 1

3.Green chillies - 1

4.Garlic cloves - 5

5.Cilantro - 1/2 cup

6.Salt to taste.

7.Oil and mustard for seasoning - 1 spoon

Procedure:

1.Grind all the ingredients(except oil & mustard) without water.

2.Do seasoning-splutter mustard in oil.Mix with grounded chutney.

3.Finished,this tastes delicious with hot idlis and dosas.


Chutneys that go with cooked rice

Thoor Dhal / Urad dhal Chutney

Ingredients: Serving 4 persons

1.Thoor dhal / Urad dhal - 100 gms

2.Grated coconut - 1 cup(250 gms)

3.Dry red chillies - 10-12

4.Salt to taste

5.Oil - 3 spoons

Procedure:

1.Heat oil in a frying pan,add thoor dhal / urad dhal and dry chillies.Fry till it gets golden color.

2.Now grind all the ingredients with little water.This chutney should not be a fine paste(80% broken state :) .This chutney doesn't need seasoning.

3.Serve this with hot cooked rice and ghee.Rice papad/urad papad is the perfect side dish for this chutney rice.


Mint chutney

Ingredients:

1.Cleaned Mint leaves - 1 cup

2.Urad dhal / thoor dhal - 100 gms

3.Grated coconut - 1 cup(250 gms)

4.Dry red chillies - 4 to 6

5.Salt to taste

6.Oil - 3 spoons

7.Tamarind - 1 small piece(optional)

Procedure:

1.Fry mint leaves with a tea spoon of oil.Fry for a minute or two,until the leaves shrinks.

2.Then fry dhal and chillies separately with 2 spoons of oil(tamarind adds sour taste to chutney & can be used if needed).

3.Now grind all the ingredients together with little water.

Note:1. Mint is well known for its properties related to indigestion, stomach cramps, menstrual cramps, flatulence, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, and colic in children.

2.New research indicates that mint oil used externally in a cold compress or rubbed directly into the skin can significantly reduce pain in cases of arthritis and chronic joint pain, with few if any side effects.


Ginger chutney

Ingredients:

1.Ginger - 5 to 8 peices(each of 1 inch size)

2.Urad dhal / thoor dhal - 100 gms

3.Grated coconut - 1 cup(250 gms)

4.Dry red chillies - 4 to 6

5.Salt to taste

6.Oil - 3 spoons

7.Tamarind - 1 small piece(optional)


Procedure:

1.Fry finger with a spoon of oil for 2 to 5 minutes.

2.Then,rest of the procedure is same as that of "mint chutney"'s.

Note:1.Ginger root is used today to provide relief for symptoms of motion sickness including sweating, vomiting, dizziness, and nausea.

2.Gastrointestinal problems including heartburn and gas can also be treated with ginger.


Note:Coconut boost up immune system, assists constipation or digestive problems, assists weight control, anti-cancer agents, anti-ageing properties and many more.


Coriander chutney,mango chutney(with oil fried grated mango,*avoid coconut for mango chutney) and many other chutneys can be prepared with the above basic procedures.These chutneys usually contain enough protein,as we use thoor dhal / urad dhal.And the other main ingredients like ginger,mint,coconut etc contain medicinal values too.So include any of these chutneys to ur lunch / dinner menu(do hav twice a week).Keep u healthy and fit!! :)