Coconut Curd Chutney

                               This Coconut Curd Chutney is very common in our families for Idli, Dosai , Uppuma, Appam, Idiappam etc.The curd should be perfect and not sour.
                         This is highly recommended for the children and also for the adults, especially during summer.

Coconut Curd Chutney

Ingredients :

Grated coconut     1 cup.
Green chillies   3 or 4
Finely sliced small onions   2 tbsp.
Curd   3 tbsp.

For seasoning :

Salt,  Oil,  Mustard,  Split Urad Dhal,  Curry Leaves


Method :

1. Heat oil, add the seasoning ingredients and then the onions.Saute till they turn brown,
    with an aroma.If small onions are out of stock, big onions can be used but small onions
    are the real taste makers. Let them cool. If added hot, the curd may become watery.

2. Grind the coconut, salt and chillies in a mixer, somewhat coarsely.Transfer to a bowl
    and add the sauteed onions and curd.. Mix well.The coconut curd chutney is ready.           Those who want to reduce the intake of coconut, can use 3/4  cup of grated coconut 
     and 1 tbsp. of  Pottukadalai ( Roasted gram )

Katharikkai / Brinjal Thuvaial

                              This Katharikkai Thuvaial is a very tasty chutney, full of fibre.It is a unique and special chutney of the Tirunelveli region.

Katharikkai Thuvaial

Ingredients :

Brinjal     4
Urad Dhal   2 tbsp.
Oil      2 tbsp.
Red chillies    3 or 4
Grated coconut ( optional )  1 tbsp.
Tamarind  1 small piece
Salt, Hing, Curry leaves.

Method :

1. Heat little oil in a Kadai and roast the Urad Dhal till they give an aroma.Set aside.
    Then roast the red chillies.Soak the tamarind in warm water.

2. Heat 2 tbsp. of oil in the Kadai and saute the Brinjals on a medium flame initially and
    later the flame can be reduced.Add little salt.Saute till the outer skin of the Brinjals
    shrink and become loose.Switch off and let them cool.Then peel off the outer skin.

3. In the small mixer jar, first powder the Urad Dhal and red chillies coarsely. Then add
   the coconut, Brinjal, Tamarind, salt and little water. Grind together,not very finely.

4. Transfer to the serving bowl and season with Mustard, Hing and Curry leaves.
 

Green Chutney

Green chutney is an essential and easy to prepare ingredient for chat items.

Green Chutney

Ingredients :

Cleaned coriander leaves   1 handful
Cleaned Mint leaves  1 handful
Green chillies  2
Lemon juice   1 tsp.

Method :

1. Grind all the ingredients in a mixer. If the chutney is only less and exact in quantity to
  be mixed with the chat item, add lemon juice with the chutney.

2. If the chutney is more in quantity, the lemon juice need not be added with the
    chutney. The juice  can be added while mixing the chat items.The reason is, if
    lemon juice is mixed with the large quantity of chutney, the left over chutney will not
    be very tasty for Dosais, Idlis etc. as it is raw.

3. If the green chutney  is without lemon juice, and is left over after preparing
    the chat item,grind it with salt, a small piece of soaked tamarind and 1 tbsp.of grated
    coconut and a pinch of hing.Heat little oil, add mustard and later the chutney, Let it
    simmer for 1 min. A tasty chutney is ready for Idli, Dosai and Chappathi.
    for Idli, Chappathi etc.
 

Sweet Chutney

                      Sweet Chutney is very easy to prepare and we all know that it is an important ingredient for the chat items, especially Bhel Poori.

Sweet Chutney

Ingredients :

Dates      15
Roasted and powdered Zeera   1 tsp.
Tamarind  juice    1 1/2 tbsp.
Powdered Jaggery  1 tsp.
Chilly Powder   1 tsp.
Chat Masala   1 tsp.

Method :

1. Cook the dates after removing the seeds,along with the tamarind, if the quality of the
    tamarind is good. Add little water and pressure cook in a mini cooker for 2 whistles
    with care as only little water is added.If the tamarind seems to have dust, soak in
    warm water and take a thick extract.

2. After they get cooled grind all the ingredients in a mixi and boil on a low fire for
    3 mins.

Peerkankkai Chutney

                                  Peerkankkai Chutney is a healthy alternative for the routine coconut chutney and also to those who like to avoid coconuts.

Peerkankkai Chutney

To serve 4

Ingredients :

Peerkankkai of medium size     2
Tomatoes       2
Onion   1
Green chillies   3
Garlic pods  4
Salt, oil, Hing, Mustard, Curry leaves.

Method :

1. Heat oil, add Mustard, curry Leaves and Hing. After the Mustard cracks, transfer to a
    bowl and set aside.

2.Heat 1 tbsp. of  oil in the same Kadai, add the sliced onions and saute.

3. Add the cubed Peerkankkai,Tomatoes, chillies, salt and the coconut.Saute well.

4. Once the water is absorbed, the vegetables shrink and the raw taste leaves, switch off.

5. After they cool, grind coarsely in the mixi and transfer to the bowl with the Mustard
    and Hing.Those who prefer to add the hot oil with the cracked mustard directly to the
    chutney in the end can also do it.You have to use one more kadai for seasoning or rinse
    the same Kadai and use it. Mix well. A healthy and tasty chutney is ready.
 

Beetroot Chutney

                        This chutney was demonstrated to me by my Chinna Mamiar ( meaning Junior MIL ) who is an all rounder and above all a very good human being.
                    This chutney, people may at once assume to be sweet because of the Beetroot.Equal quantity of coriander leaves neutralises the sweetness and makes it healthy and tasty. This chutney goes well with every thing.

                                            

 

Beetroot Chutney

Ingredients :
                                         
Grated Beetroot      1 cup
Chopped and cleaned coriander leaves   1 cup
Grated coconut       1 cup
Green chilly            4
Tamarind                1 small piece ( marble size )
Salt,   Hing,   Mustard,   oil
Roasted and coarsely powdered urad dhal ( optional )  1 tbsp.

Method :

1. Heat oil and add mustard and Hing. After the mustard splutters, transfer to a bowl.

2. Heat again oil in the same tawa, add chillies and then the coriander leaves and saute
    well. Then add the beetroot and saute.

3. After 3 mins. add the coconut and switch off after 2 mins.

4. Soak tamarind in 2 tbsp. of warm water.

5. After 10 mins. grind all the ingredients in a mixi with salt and tranfer to the bowl.

6. The tasty and colourful chutney with more fibre and nutrients is ready.

Note :

1.Adding roasted and powdered urad dhal helps to eliminate the slimy texture of the
   chutney and enhances the taste, if added to coriander or mint chutney.

2. I always roast 1 cup of urad dhal in 1 tsp. of oil till it turns brown, giving an aroma.
    After it cools, it is powdered coarsely in the mixi and stored in a bottle.It is very
    handy and a time saver for some chutneys when we are in a jiffy.

3. One tbsp. can also be freshly roasted and added.


 

Coriander Chutney

                                                   This Coriander Chutney, I started preparing after tasting it in the restaurants and knowing the recipe from one of the neighbours, 25 years back.

                                           Till then I used to prepare the other version called Thuvial, which is mostly made by all our family members.The thuvial is a solid form with minimum water content and stays for a longer time.
                                     
                                        The chutney goes mainly well with the tiffin items like Idli, Dosa and Chappathi and variety rice.
                                         



Coriander Chutney

                                                    

Ingredients  :

Coriander leaves ( Cleaned and Chopped )    2 cups
Urad Dhal ( optional )           1 tbsp.
Green chilly        2
Oil                      2 tsp.
Grated coconut            2 tbsp.
Tamarind                small piece
Hing,   Salt

Method :

1. Soak the tamarind in warm water.

2. Heat little oil in a tawa and roast the urad dhal till it turns brown with an aroma.

3. Transfer the dhal to a plate and let it cool.In the same tawa, add little oil, add the
    hing and then the green chillies and saute for a minute.Then add the coriander leaves
    and saute well till the leaves shrink.Add the coconut and  switch off Let them cool.

4. In a dry mixi, powder the roasted urad dhal coarsely.Then add the other ingredients
    with the tamarind, salt and grind.Add some water and grind it coarsely as it is a
    chutney. Seasoning with mustard and extra hing is purely optional.

Note :  

1. Adding roasted Urad Dhal is also purely optional.Any roasted dhal gets powdered
   well only if the mixi is dry.So whenever Urad or Channa dhal has to be added along
   with the other ingredients in a mixi, normally we powder the dhal and add the other
   ingredients.

2. Half cup of Urad Dhal can be roasted , cooled and powdered in a dry mixi coarsely.
     This comes handy for any chutney and some dishes.

3. This chutney is tasty when taken fresh.So better to avoid storing in a fridge unless
    it is left over.








 

Raw Mango Chutney

                      This simple but tasty chutney can be called a gift of the summer season when raw mangoes are seen everywhere.This recipe again is a contribution by my MIL.This chutney,if prepared by adding the minimum quantity of water goes well with plain rice and ghee, and all most all tiffin items.
                 The round shaped gundu mangai or the kilimooku magai, which are not very soar are the best choice.

Raw Mango Chutney

Ingredients :

Grated raw mango         1 cup
Grated coconut              1 cup
Green chillies                4
A small piece of tamarind
Salt to taste,Oil,Hing, Mustard
Urad Dhal,Curry Leaves.

Method :

1.Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes.
2.Grind the mango,coconut,chillies,salt and tamarind in a mixi, coarsely with little water.
3.Season with the mustard, urad dhal, hing and curry leaves.

Coconut chutney garnished with onions

         Coconut chutney may be common but garnished with finely sliced small onions gives it a special taste and is typical of the people of Tirunelveli.

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients :

Grated coconut                                                          1/2 cup
Green chillies                                                             2
Roasted channa dhal ( Pottu Kadalai )                           2 tbsp
Small onions                                                              10 ( to be finely chopped )
Tamarind                                                                   Small piece
Salt, curry leaves, little tamarind, mustard

Method :

1. Grind the coconut,chillies,salt,tamarind and pottu kadalai in a mixi.Let it be little coarse.
2. Heat oil in a tawa,add mustard, curry leaves and then add the finely chopped onions and saute them.
3. When the onions become golden brown,mix them with the chutney.

Notes:

• This chutney has to be taken fresh and better to avoid storing in the fridge.
• Those having coconuts in plenty and do not like the taste of pottu kadalai can use only coconuts.
• All the ingredients can be altered according our taste.
• One tbsp. of curd can also be used instead of tamarind.Tamarind can be soaked in little warm water for 5 mins. for easy grinding.
• Big onion can also be used if small onions are not available.

Ground nut(Peanut) chutney

                                   
                                                    The credit of this chutney along with the Pesarat goes to my friend Chitra.It tastes very good not only with Pesarat but also idlies and dosas.The natural red colour of the chutney makes it more presentable and the best add on product with the sambar.

Peanut Chutney

Ingredients:
Big onions                          : 2
Tomatoes                            : 1

Red chillies                        : 3

Roasted ground nut             :2 tbsp
Garlic                                 :4 pods

Salt                                     : 1/2 tsp
Oil

Method:
 1. Cut the onions and tomatoes.

 2. Heat oil in a kadai,roast the red chillies and remove them.

 3. Then saute the onions.When they turn brown,add the tomatoes,garlic and salt.The adding of salt with the tomatoes softens them and makes the process quick.Cool after the tomatoes get fried well.

 4 .Grind the chillies and the  ground nuts with the husk removed, first in a dry mixi.Then add the onions,garlic and the tomatoes.Do not make the chutney very fine.Let it be a little coarse.

 5. Season with mustard,asafoetida and curry leaves.A delicious chutney is ready.