Ginger Chutney

This chutney is from our neighbouring state 'AP'. It is well known in that region and tastes yummy. I had made this as a side for Pesarattu with Upma...turned out really well. Everyone liked it a lot!

Ingredients:
2 Tsp Urad Dhal
2 Red Chillies
3 Inch Ginger Chopped
1 TBSPN Thick Tamarind Paste
1 1/2 TBSPN Grated Coconut
Little Jaggery
Salt to Taste
Oil

Take little oil in a pan and saute urad dhal, red chillies and ginger. Allow it to cool. Grind this along with coconut. Add the tamarind paste, jaggery and salt.
Take a little oil in a pan and mustard (let it splutter),add urad dhal.
Add this tempering to the ginger chutney. The yummy chutney is ready to be served with Pesarattu.

Onion Tomato Chutney

I made this as a side for Pesarattu since kids love onion tomato chutney a lot. It goes well with Idli and dosas too. I made this when I had called friends home for dinner and it was a great hit! Hence, sharing with you all....it is very simple and easy to make....

Ingredients:

1 Big Onion Chopped
4 Small Tomatoes Chopped
3/4 Tsp Red Chilly Powder
Salt to Taste
Oil
Mustard and Urad dhal for tempering

Take a little oil and heat it. Add the onions fry till it turns slightly brown. Add the tomatoes and cook. Allow it to cool. Grind this into a smooth paste.
Add salt and red chilly powder to the grinded mixture.
Take a little oil in a pan and mustard  (let it splutter),add urad dhal.  Add this to the Chutney.

Rava Idli and Peanut Chutney

As mentioned in my previous posts my family is recovering from bout of cold and related stuff. We have kept ourselves busy by making visits to the Doc and pharmarcies!! We just want to get better and we are looking forward to it. All that said....it was one of the days after our visit to the doc...I did not have much choice and was pretty tired too and with one big goal "to make my son eat" since he was going with out food .. I decided to make the rava idli...I was scared to give it an attempt since that was the first time I was making it and also scared what if it does not turn out well...I would have to make something all over again and keep my family waiting at the table for dinner...but left it to God and ventured to make the idlis.

After all it turned out good...I made sambhar and the peanut chutney (it is always a good hit in our house) to go with it!

Ingredients:
Rava - 2 Cups
Curd - 2 Cups (Back home they use the sour curd to make the idlis...but I some how do not like to use sour curd.)
Carrots - 1 Grated
Tadka - Green chillies, Mustard, Curry leaves, Urad dhal, Channa dhal and Cashews
Onions - 1/2 Cup (optional)
Oil
Salt to taste
Idli Plates

Take a pan and roast the rava with little ghee. (Do roast it for a while even if you use pre-roasted rava)
Before you start mixing the batter. Prepare the tadka and fry the onions for few seconds and add it to the rava.
You may use the raw grated carrots...but since my son may not feel comfortable that way. I microwave the grated carrots for couple of minutes before using it in idlis.
To the rava add the curd and salt.

I learnt from my folks that we need to make the idlis then and there and it should not be allowed to stand in the curd for a long period of time. It yields 16 idlis.
Grease the plates and add the carrots (you may alternatively add it to the dough too) and steam the idlis...serve it with sambhar or chutney of your choice..

Peanut Chutney

Dry roast  Peanuts with skin (about a handful).. and 1 1/2 red chillies I always made it without the skin but recently my friend passed me the tip of making the peanut chutney with the skin...indeed it tastes better!  and grind it well with water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Serve it with idlis.

Twin Chutneys

I came up with the name for coriander (cilantro) chutney and tamarind chutney because they go hand in hand. They are almost used together while making chaat items...hence the name - "Twin Chutneys"!!. Everytime I make these chutneys  I always feel the  Cilantro chutney and the tamarind chutney tastes differently and does not taste the way I expect it to be and hence I keep improvising on it every time to get the authentic taste . This time I was quite satisfied with the result hence wanted to post it.

I think you will also agree that these are quintessential items for having with Indian Chaat or Snacks.

Tamarind Chutney:

Lemon Sized Tamarind soaked in warm water
1/2 Tsp Red chilli Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cube Jaggery
1/2 Tsp finely grated ginger
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder

Squeeze out the tamarind.
Take the tamarind water in a vessel and dissolve the Jaggery. Place this tamarind jaggery mixture on the stove. Let it boil for 5 to 10 minutes till the raw smell of the jaggery and tamarind goes off. It need not get t0o thickened.
Add the Salt, Red Chilly Powder and the Ginger.
Add the pepper and cumin powder and turn off the gas after couple of minutes.

Cilantro (Coriander) Chutney

1/2 bunch Cilantro
2 - 3 Tbspn Grated Mango
3 - 4 Tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Green Chilly

First grate the mango, chillies along with cumin. After these are grinded add the cilantro. Grind it well.
Add Salt and lemon juice. Cilantro Chutney is ready to be served.

The Tamarind Chutney and Cilantro Chutney are ready to used while making bhel, papdi's,... as a side for samosas or as a topping for dahi vada. You may store it in the refrigerator for a week.

Gongura Thugayal

This is a famous dish from Andhra. But this is kind of popular in our house (even though it is not commonly made in Tamil Nadu) since my dad and aunts were raised in Tirupathi. So this is a common dish prepared in our household!!

I can never forget whenever my aunt visited us she always used to bring a big jar of this. We all love her gongura thugayal. I remember once she got this when she came for my cousin’s wedding and one other cousin of mine just ate this ”as is” (without even bothering to eat the food at the wedding)!!
So this will give you an idea as to how great this thugayal is!!
Select the Gongura leaves that have red stem. The ones with the red stem are supposed to be the good ones.

Things needed for making this –

Gongura - a bunch
Coriander seeds tstsp Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp
Red Chillies – 5
Sesame seeds – 1 tsp

Take a tsp of oil and fry all the spices and let it cool. Wash the leaves and drain the water. Take a tsp oil and add the leaves to. Close it with a lid and fry it often (till it is nicely cooked). Let this cool. Grind the spices and the leaves together.
Take ½ tsp oil and add mustard to it. Let it splutter. Add this to the gongura paste.
Serve this with rice and ghee.