Hagalakayi (Bitter Gourd) Sutta Chutney

Chutney prepared using charred Bitter Gourd.

Time Required: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:
2 tiny or 1 big Hagalkayi / Bitter Gourd / Karela
½ Cup grated Dry Coconut
6 – 7 Green Chilies
1tbsp Grated Jaggery
2 inch Tamarind
1tbsp Oil
1tsp Mustard Seeds
A pinch of Hing / Asafoetida
Salt to taste

Method:
Char Hagalkayi in an oven or directly on the flame. Chop into pieces. Grind Hagalkayi, Coconut, Green Chilies, Jaggery, Tamarind and Salt to a paste. Heat Oil and add Mustard Seeds, when they splutter add Hing. Pour this over the chutney and mix well. Serve with Dosa, Idly,Rice, Phulka or Paratha.

Pinapple Chutney

Pineapple tit bits cooked in sugar syrup and spray of chili flakes. Its a Sweet chutney

Time Required: 25 Minutes

Ingredients:
1 Cup Pineapple, chopped finely
1tsp Saunf
1tsp Mustard Seeds
1tbsp Oil
½ Cup Sugar
1tbsp Chili Flakes or Chili Powder
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat Oil and add Mustard Seeds and Saunf, when they splutter add Pineapple and sauté for a minute or two. Add ¾ Cup water and let it come to a boil. Add Salt, Sugar and Chili Flakes and cook until a thin syrup is formed. Remove and store in bottles and refrigerate. Serve with Paratha.

Groundnut Chutney (Shenga Chutney)

Time Required: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:
1 Cup Roasted and peeled Groundnuts / Moomphali / Peanuts
12 – 15 Green Chilies
Juice of 1 Lemon
3tbsp Oil
1tsp Mustard Seeds
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste

Method:
Grind Groundnuts, Green Chilies, Salt and Lemon to a paste. Heat Oil and add Mustard Seeds and Turmeric Powder. When it is cool, add to the chutney and mix well. Serve with Roti.

Kadle bele Uddina bele Chutney

Ingredients: 

Kadale bele(Channa Dal) 1/2 Cup

Uddina Bele (Urad Dal)1/2 Cup
Grated fresh Coconut 2 Cups
Whole Red Chilies 6-7 (or less! If spicy)
Curry Leaves 2 Bunches

Small Piece of Ginger (Optional)
Tamarind pulp 2 Teaspoons
Salt to taste
Sugar 1/2teaspoon

For Garnish:
Oil 1 Teaspoon
Mustard 1 teaspoon
Asafetida 1 Pinch

Method

1.     Roast kadale bele and Uddina Bele on low flame till it turns little golden red and allow it to cool

2.     Roast red chilies till the are just hot if held in hand

3.     Grind coconut, roasted kadale bele; curry leaves, tamarind pulp, salt and sugar by adding little water. Do not grind it too smooth.

4.     In a pan add oil once its hot add mustard and asafetida

5.     Garnish the chutney with the above tadka

6.     Enjoy the chutney with dosa, idli, rice or just the chutney!!!

Nellikayi Chutney

All parts of the Amla plant are used in various Ayurvedic Medicine /herbal preparations, including the fruit, seed, leaves, root, bark and flowers.According to Ayurveda, amla fruit is sour and astringent in taste , with sweet , bitter and pungent secondary tastes . Its qualities are light and dry, the post-digestive effect is sweet , and its energy is cooling.
According to Ayurveda, amla is specific to its sweet taste and cooling energy.However, amla is thought to balance by virtue of its sour taste, and its astringent taste and drying action. It may be used as a rejuvenate to promote longevity, and traditionally to enhance digestion , treat constipation reduce fever , purify the blood , reduce cough , alleviate asthma , strengthen the heart , benefit the eyes , stimulate hair growth , enliven the body , and enhance intellect. (Source Wikipedia.org).

Here is a recipe of an easy pickle :

Ingredients:

Amla -- Frozen 1 packet

Oil -- 6tbsp

Mustard seeds-- 2tbsp

Methi powder -- 1/4tsp

Turmeric powder -- 1/4tsp

Chilly powder -- 2tbsp (or according to taste)

Salt -- according to taste

Method :

Bring water to boil in a pan and add the amlas to it and let boil till the amlas are soft. drain the water and allow to cool. when cool cut the amla into small pieces and deseed them.

In an another pan heat oil and when hot add the mustard seeds.. when it starts to splutter turn off the stove and add all the dry powders and mix well finally add the amla pieces and mix well.. allow to cool and transfer..

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Method -2 


Gooseberry chutney that can be dried and stored for a long time.

Time Required: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:
10 Gooseberries
10 – 12 Green Chilies
1” Ginger
1/2 tsp Hing / Asafoedita
1 tsp Roasted Fenugreek Seeds Powder
Salt to taste

To Serve:
4 Dried Chut pieces
2tbsp Fresh grated Coconut
3tbsp Curds / Yogurt (Optional)
2tsp Oil
½ tsp Kadalebele / Bengal Gram
½ tsp Uddinabele / Split black Gram
½ tsp Mustard Seeds
Few Curry leaves

Method:
Cook Gooseberries and remove the seeds. Grind with Green Chilies, Hing, Fenugreek Seeds Powder, Ginger and Salt to a paste.

On a plate put a spoonful of this mixture many times to fill up the plate.

Sun dry them on both sides. Store the Chut pieces in airtight containers. This can be stored up to a year.

To Serve:
Soak 4 Chut pieces in water for an hour. Drain excess water. Grind it with Coconut. Remove to a serving bowl.

Heat Oil and add Kadalebele, Uddinabele and when they turn pink add Mustard Seeds and when they splutter add Curry leaves. Pour this over the Chut and mix well.

Serve with hot Rice and Ghee / Clarified butter.

Sambar Onion Chutney

Chutney prepared using shallots very commonly prepared in Kerala. 

Time Required: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:
10 Sambar Onions / Shallots
6 Green Chilies
Coconut Oil or Any refined vegetable Oil
Salt to Taste

Method:
Peel the Onions and grind them along with Green chilies and Salt to a paste. Mix little Oil and serve with boiled Mara Genasu / Tapioca as a dip.

Tomato Chutney

Sweet, sour and spicy tomato chutney.  

Time Required: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:
2 Cups Tomato Puree
1 Cup Sugar
1tbsp Red Chili Flakes or 5 Whole Red Chilies
1 Onion, Chopped finely
Salt to taste

Method:In a thick bottomed pan add all the ingredients and cook until the mixture becomes thick.  Stir continuously.  Remove from heat and let it cool. Store in dry airtight containers.

Meethi Aam Chutney (Fenugreek and Mango Chutney)

Sweet chutney prepared using raw mangoes. This is a dish from eastern India.

Time Required: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:
2 Raw Mangoes
1tbsp Panch Phoren / 5 Spices (Saunf / Aniseed, Mustard, Cumin Seeds, Kalonji / Onion Seeds, Methi / Fenugreek Seeds)
5 Red Chilies
½ Cup Grated Jaggery
1tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method:
Peel Mangoes and steam them. Cut the flesh and throw away the stone. Mash few pieces of Mango.
Heat Oil and add Panch Phoren and then they splutter add broken Red Chilies and the Mango. Mix well. Add Jaggery, Salt and ½ Cup water and cook until it thickens. Serve with Paratha or Roti.

Onion and Garlic Chutney

Time Required: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:
1 Onion, Peeled and Diced
20 – 25 Cloves Garlic, Peeled
8 Green Chilies
1 bunch Coriander Leaves, Cleaned and Washed
4tbsp Oil
½ tsp Mustard Seeds
Salt to taste

Method:
Grind Onion, Cloves, Green Chilies, Coriander and Salt to a paste. Heat Oil in a pan and add Mustard Seeds and when they splutter add the paste and stir fry until the moisture evaporates and the Oil separates from the Chutney. Serve with plain Rice or Indian Bread.

Onion Chutney

Time Required: 15 Minutes

Ingredients:
1tsp Oil
½ Cup Coconut
1 Big Onion, Chopped finely
4” Tamarind
8 Dry Red Chilies, Broken
1tbsp Urad Dal / Black Gram Split
A pinch of Jaggery
For the Seasoning:
1tbsp Oil
½ tsp Mustard Seeds
A pinch of Turmeric Powder
Few Curry Leaves
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat Oil and fry Urad dal until they turn pink, add Red Chilies and fry for few seconds. Next add Onion and fry until they turn translucent, add Tamarind, Coconut, Jaggery, Salt and mix well. Switch off the stove. Let it cool. Grind to a paste adding water.


Heat Oil and add Mustard Seeds, and when they splutter add Turmeric Powder and Curry Leaves. Pour this over the chutney and mix well.
Serve with plain Rice, Idli Or Dosa
.

Masoor Dal Chutney (Red Lentils)

Time Required: 15 Minutes

Ingredients:
½ Cup Masoor Dal / Red Lentils
6 – 8 Red Chilies
1 tsp Oil
3 – 2” pieces of Tamarind
½ Cup Fresh grated Coconut
A Bengal dal size Hing / Asafoetida
½ tsp Methi / Fenugreek Seeds
Salt to taste

For the seasoning:
1tbsp Oil
½ tsp Mustard Seeds
Few Curry Leaves
A pinch of Turmeric Powder

Method:
Fry Masoor Dal, Red Chilies, and Hing in Oil. Grind this with all the ingredients together. Remove to a bowl. Heat Oil and add Mustard Seeds and when they splutter add Turmeric Powder and Curry Leaves. Pour the seasoning over the Chutney and mix well. Serve with Dosa, Idli or plain Rice.

Coconut Chutney

Chutneys are South India’s quintessential side dishes. Green Coconut chutney  is the most popular and commonly prepared chutneys. You can eat this Chutney with Dosa, Idly, Upama, Chapathi etc…

SERVES : 2-3

INGREDIENTS :

For Chutney :

1. Grated Fresh Coconut – 2 cups
2. Chopped Fresh Cilantro(Coriander Leaves) – 2 cups    ---optional
3. Chopped Green Chilies – 4-5 (Depending on how spicy the chilies are)
4. oil – 1 Tea Spoon
5. Split Roasted Gram(Dalia) – 2 tbsp
6. Salt – 1 Tea Spoon/ To taste
7. Water – 1.5 cups/ According to consistency

For Garnishing:

1. Mustard Seeds – 1/4 Tea Spoon
2. Ghee – 1 Tea Spoon
3. Urud Dal (Uddina Bele) – 1 Tea Spoon
4. Channa Dal (Kadale Bele)– 1 Tea Spoon

You can buy Urud Dal, Channa Dal and Roasted split Dalia in any Indian store.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1 : Heat the oil in a small wok/ pan on a medium flame. Fry the copped green chilies for not more than 30 – 40 seconds.

Step 2: Grind grated fresh coconut, cilantro,  fried chilies, roasted split dalia, salt and water  to a fine paste in the blender. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Make sure you don’t add too much water to start with. I usually add 3/4 of a cup at the beginning and then add more for required consistency. Chutneys can be either paste or  semi-liquid.

Step 3: Garnishing – Heat ghee in a small wok/ pan on a medium flame.

Step 4. Add mustard seeds when the ghee is hot. Let the mustard seeds pop.

Step 5. Add urid and channa dal together and roast them till they turn golden brown.

Step 6. Add the garnish on the chutney and serve.