Tomato - Onion chutney

This tomato and onion based chutney makes a tasty side dish to go with south Indian style breakfast dishes like idli, dosa and paniyaram. It also goes great with vegetable based parathas. Use juicy variety tomatoes with some tartness for a flavorful chutney. Use tamarind if the tomatoes are not sour enough or skip it totally if using sour variety tomatoes. Garlic can be added for extra flavor. A reader had requested for this chutney recipe when I paired it with mallige idli and here it is.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. oil 
1 tbsp. skinned black gram / urad dal
3 dried red chillies or to taste
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 tomatoes, cut into big chunks

A pinch of ground turmeric 
1 tsp. sized tamarind piece *
Salt to taste

Ingredients for seasoning:

1/4 tsp. mustard seeds

1 small sprig of curry leaves

* Adjust the tamarind quantity as needed. Skip it if the tomatoes used are sour.

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add black garm / urad dal, Stir until the dal turns reddish. Next add red chillies and onion to the pan. Sauté on low flame until they are cooked /  lightly browned.

2.  Next add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric, salt and tamarind to the pan.

3. Cover and continue cooking on low flame until tomatoes turn mushy. 

4. Turn off the stove and let the mixture cool down. Grind the mixture, slightly coarsely if preferred.

5. Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds. Add curry leaves when they start to splutter and turn off the stove. Add this to the ground chutney and mix well.

6. Serve the chutney with Indian style breakfast dishes like idli, dosa or vegetable based parathas. 

This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon and check the link to find out what other marathoners are cooking.

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Rajasthan Garlic Chutney / Lehsun ki Chutney

 

This garlic chutney, called lehsun ki chutney / lasan ki chutney is a rustic, flavorful condiment catering to garlic lovers. Obviously garlic bulbs and red chilis are the main ingredients used in the preparation of this fiery accompaniment. Always a part of Rajasthani thaalis, this chutney is quite a simple preparation and can be done in a short time. It can be used as an accompaniment to breakfast dishes / meals / rustic rotis, as a spread for sandwiches or to perk up the dishes like vada pav. It can be stored for a few weeks, when refrigerated.

There is no such thing as a standard version when it comes to garlic chutney preparation and each household has their own favorite recipe. I have seen versions including tamarind / amchur /lemon juice / ginger and other things. Use chilis and chili powder according to your taste. I have seen the chutneys with a darker shade but mine is redder because of the Byadagi chilis I used. I had made this as part of my dal baati churma platter. 

Recipe source: Here
Ingredients for chutney:
24 garlic cloves
1 heaped tsp. cumin seeds
6 chilis (I used Byadagi variety which gives color and are less spicy,)
1 tsp. spicy chili powder
Salt to taste
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds

Directions:

* Add garlic cloves, cumin seeds, chilis, chili powder and salt to a blender / processor.

* Blend them together to a fine paste adding water.

* Heat oil preferably in a non stick pan and add mustard seeds.

* When they start to splutter, add the ground paste and stir.

* Cook on medium flame, stirring frequently until it thickens, about 10 minutes.

* Cool the mixture and store in a jar. Use as needed and refrigerate the leftover chutney.

This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon with the theme 'Condiments'. Check the link to find out what other marathoners are cooking.

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Sorakaaya Pachadi / Andhra Style Bottle Gourd Chutney

Today's condiment is yet another chutney prepared with sorakaya / bottle gourd, Andhra style which is delicious. This is the base recipe I use for most of my chutneys, which is delicious and borrowed from my maternal grandmother's kitchen. One can easily substitute other vegetables (that are usually used in a chutney preparation) like radish, tomato for bottle gourd in the recipe. This style of chutney is usually served as part of a lunch / dinner rather than as an accompaniment to breakfast dishes. It is eaten as first course served with rice and a drizzle of ghee and tastes similar to ridge gourd and chayote chutneys.

Obviously, this is a vegetable based chutney and is vegan. The amount of green chilis used in the recipe depends upon the spiciness preferred in the chutney and how hot the chilis being used are. Add more chilis to the pan than you think are needed if not sure about the heat of the chilies being used. Start with few chilis while grinding the chutney, taste and add extar if needed. A little bit of jaggery can be used in the recipe if preferred. Sometimes I add a pinch of stevia to the recipe. 

Ingredients:

2 cups peeled and chopped bottle gourd 
2 tbsp. oil
2 tsp. skinned black gram / urad dal 

1 tsp. mustard seeds

A pinch of fenugreek seeds (optional)

2 pinches of asafoetida powder

Roughly chopped green chilis as needed (I used 2 spicy ones.)

1/2 tsp. sized tamarind ball

2 pinches of turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp. jaggery (optional and I didn't use.) 

Directions:

* Peel and cube the bottle gourd. Discard the seeds if mature.

* Heat oil in a pan  and add black gram and mustard seeds. When black gram starts to turn golden brown, add fenugreek seeds and stir until they start to change the color. Next add asafoetida and green chilis. Stir for few seconds.

* Then add the chopped bottle gourd cubes, turmeric, tamarind and salt to the pan and stir well.

* Cover and cook on low flame, until done. Stir once or twice in between.

* Turn off the stove when done and let the mixture cool down. Grind the bottle gourd mixture coarsely.

* Transfer the ground chutney to a bowl and serve as a side dish to rice. Leftover chutney can be refrigerated and used within a couple of days.

This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon with the theme 'Condiments'. Check the link to find out what other marathoners are cooking.

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Cabbage Chutney / Cabbage Pachadi

A piece of paper with recipes scribbled on has been lying in my night stand for years. It had this chutney recipe, mentioned by my sister in law years ago during one of my India trips. I had been skeptical to try cabbage in a chutney recipe all this time though everyone at home loves the vegetable. I got to try it recently as a variation since I have been making instant chutneys almost on a daily basis as the entire family is present for lunches and dinners now, thanks to Covid situation. I am making more and more south Indian style meals and this chutney was made one day for our lunch. I loved this chutney. The 'pronounced' cabbage smell is not present and no one could even guess what chutney it was. This south Indian style pachadi / chutney makes a great accompaniment to rice or even breakfast items. Below is the recipe for this quick and easy cabbage pachadi.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 tsp. skinned black gram (urad dal)
1/4 tsp. cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. coriander seeds
6 dried red chilies (The quantity depends upon the heat of the chilies being used and so use with discretion.)
2 pinches of asafoetida powder
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
3 cups finely chopped cabbage
1/2 tsp. sized tamarind ball
Salt to taste
Ingredients for tempering:
1/2 tsp. oil
1/4 tsp. mustard seeeds
1 sprig of curry leaves

Directions:
* Heat oil in a wide pan and add mustard seeds and black gram. When mustard seeds start to splutter and black gram starts to turn reddish, add cumin and coriander seeds. When the seeds start to turn a shade darker add red chilies, asafoetida and turmeric. Stir and add cabbage, tamarind and salt.
* Mix well once, lower the heat setting, cover and cook. Keep stirring intermittently and cook until the cabbage softens. Remove the pan from heat and let the cabbage mixture come to room temperature.

* Add the mixture to a blender and grind it to a slightly coarser mixture. Add a little water if it is hard to run the blender.

* Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter add curry eaves and turn off the stove.
* Add this tempering to the chutney and mix well.
* Serve it along with rice and ghee or as an accompaniment to Indian breakfast dishes.
* Refrigerate the remaining chutney and use within a couple of days.

This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon with the theme 'Condiments'. Check the link to find out what other marathoners are cooking.

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Kaara Chutney / Kara Chutney

Today's recipe is of a classic side dish from the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Kara chutney is a spicy and delicious chutney that is perfect to go with south Indian style breakfast dishes like idli and dosas. It is quite simple to prepare as it involves only sauteing onion and tomato. It can be prepared ahead a day or two so that it can be handy during morning rush hours. 

Ingredients:
1.5 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. chana dal / Bengal gram
1 tbsp. urad dal / skinned black gram
4 - 5 dried red chillies (I used less spicier byadagi chillies. Use less quantity if using spicier variety.)
3 garlic cloves with skin peeled
1 medium sized onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 tiny ball of tamarind (that would fit into a tsp.)
Salt to taste
Ingredients for tempering / tadka:
1 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard leaves
6 curry leaves

Directions:
* Heat oil in a pan and add chana dal, urad dal and chillies. When the dals start to turn reddish, remove the chillies and soak them in water. (Or chillies can be soaked in hot water for about 20 minutes ahead and then added along with the onions in the next step.)
* Add garlic and onions to the pan and saute until the onions turn light brownish. 
*  Next add tomatoes, tamarind and salt and cook until the tomatoes turn into a mush.
* Turn off the heat and let the mixture to cool. Grind the mixture finely adding water as needed. (One can make it thinner than the one shown in the pictures.)
* Heat oil in a small pan for tadka and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. When the mustad starts to sputter, turn off the stove and add it to the ground chutney and mix well.
* Serve with dosas / idlis.

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Tomato - Peanut Chutney

There are several versions of tomato chutney in Indian cuisine that can be served as aside dish to several breakfast dishes / rice or can be used as a spread or dip. The version I am posting today uses peanuts as well that makes the chutney more flavorful. I have added both green and red chilies here but only red chilies can be added for a brighter color, if you prefer. This spicy chutney goes well with idlis or dosas and can stays fresh for 2 or 3 days, refrigerated.

Here are some other tomato based chutneys to go with breakfast dishes. 

Tomato  and cilantro chutney

Kara chutney

Chettinad chutney

Ingredients for chutney:

1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, chopped
4 red chilies + 2 green chilies or to taste
2 tomatoes
1/2 tsp. sized tamarind ball
1/4 cup roasted and skinned peanuts
Salt to taste
Ingredients for tadka:

1 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp each mustard seeds 

1/2 tsp. black gram / urad dal
Few curry leaves

 
Directions:
* Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds start to turn a shade darker, add chilies and saute for about 10 seconds and add onion. 

* Saute until the onion turns translucent. Add tomatoes and tamarind. Continue to cook until tomatoes turn mushy. Turn off the stove.

* Grind the sauteed tomato mixture, peanuts and salt, adding hot water if needed. (The hot water increases the shelf life of the chutney.) Transfer the ground chutney to a bowl.
* Heat a tsp. oil and add mustard seeds and black gram. When the black gram starts to turn  reddish, add curry leaves and turn off the stove. Pour this tadka over the chutney and stir once to combine.
* Serve this with any south Indian breakfast dishes as a side dsih. Refrigerate any left overs and use within a couple of days. 

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Bengali Style Tomato Chutney

A traditional Bengali every day meal is a six course one, unlike the other regional cuisines of India. I am assuming the modern households don't have the time or energy needed to cook such elaborate meals but a typical lunch in a Bengali household of the olden times was by itself a mini thaali, dishes ranging from bitter to savory to sweet. A meal with a total blast of flavors in sharp contrasts.

The chutney or chaatni, as the locals call it is a part of the meal and  tomato chutney is one of the commonly prepared one locally. It is served at almost at the end and is not eaten as an accompaniment or side dish in the meal as they do in other regions. It is a sweet and spicy condiment, served typically after the savory dishes and before the dessert as a palate cleanser. The traditional tomato - date chutney typically contains tomatoes, dates, raisins, sweetener like jaggery / sugar and cooked in mustard oil. I did not have dates on hand but had dried mango slices and used them in the recipe as Sandeepa suggested. It is not the typical south Indian variety chutney which I am used to and was too sweet to my palate. It can be eaten as a condiment with starters or even some slathered on a toast.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. mustard oil

1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 red chili broken into bits (I used 2.)
2 big sized tomatoes
A pinch of turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. dried mango pieces (optional)
1 tsp. ginger juice (I used grated ginger)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. tamarind chutney / tamarind extract to taste

Directions:
* Heat oil and add mustard seeds and red chili. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add tomato pieces, turmeric and salt and continue to cook. 

* When they are almost done, add the dry mango, ginger juice and water. Continue to cook until the tomatoes are cooked to a soft pulp. 

* Add sugar and to make the chutney tangy, add a tsp. of tamarind chutney. 

* Continue to cook until it thickens and turn off the stove.


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Spicy Sesame Tomato Chutney

I came across this chutney sometime ago when I was looking for something to pair up with the momos I had made. The original recipe had mentioned it to be an inspiration from a local Himalayan restaurant which made me to give it a try in the first place. It is a simple and easy to make kinda chutney, redolent with Asian flavors. All you do is toast the ingredients and blend. Onions and tomatoes lend a natural sweetness and tartness while sesame seeds add nuttiness to the chutney. One can easily adjust the spice levels by reducing / increasing the quantity of pepper flakes. Or even dried red chilies can be used instead as I had done.

Recipe Source: Here
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. oil
4 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 inch ginger piece, finely chopped
1 tbsp. red pepper flakes or to taste
3 tbsp. sesame seeds
1 cup chopped red onion
14.5 oz canned diced tomato (About 2 cups)
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup water

Directions:
* Heat oil in a pan and add garlic and ginger. Saute on low flame, until fragrant, for about a minute or so. Next add the sesame seeds and red pepper flakes and toast for a minute.
* Add onion next and fry until they soften. Add tomatoes and cook until soft and juicy, about 5 minutes.
* Add the above toasted ingredients, soy sauce, lemon juice and water to a blender and grind to a smooth paste. Taste and add salt if needed. Use immediately or keep refrigerated.

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A - Z Karnataka Cuisine ~ E for Ellu Pajji

So far in my A - Z Karnataka Series
A - Akki Halbai
B - Biscuit Roti
C - Congress Kadalekayi
D - Davanagere Benne Dose

The northern and southern regions of Karnataka is divided topographically as bayaluseeme region, which is largely plain area with few hillocks. Coast lies along the western region and situated between coastal and bayaluseeme regions is Malenadu or colloquially Malnadu. Kodagu or Coorg, located on the slopes of the Western Ghats / Sahyadri mountain range is one of the districts of Malenadu. It is a gorgeous hill station and Cauvery, an important river of south India originates from this region. The native and probably the oldest inhabitants of the area are known as Kodavas. The picturesque region with lush green forests and hills had little to no access to the outside world in the past and the people had to rely on farming and hunting for their food. The reason why Kodavas are non vegetarians and pandi curry (Curry prepared using the hunted wild hogs) appears to be the most popular dish is for the same reason. 

The local rice which is said to smell like ghee during the harvest season was a coveted crop here. Rice features as the main staple and one would be surprised to note the variety of rice dishes Kodavas have come up with. Not the biryani, pulao or the bhath kind. The dishes that end with the word 'puttu' are plenty and are all rice based. Here are kadumbuttu, and paputtu for instance. Among  the lot, the most common and popular rice dish for outsiders has to be akki rotti or otti as it is called locally. I am not elaborating on it as my focus today is not on it but on an accompaniment to go with it. It is called ellu pajji which is going to be my 'E' dish in the series. Ellu means sesame seeds in Kannada and this is a Kodava version of sesame chutney. Ellu pajji and pumpkin curry seem to be the most popular vegetarian options to go with akki rotti, the rice based flat breads from the region.

This recipe has been on my to do list for years and I could make it over weekend to go with akki rottis. Toasted sesame seeds. shallots roasted whole and coconut together makes it an enjoyable chutney to go with rottis. I halved the recipe and tried to grind the small quantity of chutney in my stone mortar. I didn't want to use my blender as the quantity wasn't enough to grind without adding water. Also I had coconut pieces to work with which I couldn't grind smoothly. The chutney can be ground in a blender or food processor adding as much as little water possible.

Ingredients for chutney:
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 shallots / sambhar onions 
3 green chilies or to taste
1 tbsp. thick tamarind extract / or to taste
1 tbsp. jaggery or to taste
Salt to taste
Ingredients for tempering:
1 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 dried red chili, broken to pieces
6 curry leaves

Directions:
* Wash and dry sesame seeds if preferred. (I didn't do it.) Dry toast the sesame seeds on medium flame, stirring continuously, until they splutter and change a shade darker. 
* Roast onions with their skins on until they are blackened outside and peel. (This was done traditionally in embers. It can be mimicked over open flame, under the broiler or in a hot pan, the author mentions. I chopped a red onion and toasted it until golden brown instead.) Let it cool.
* Grind the sesame seeds finely before adding other ingredients if using a food processor or blender. Then add onion, green chillies, tamarind, jaggery and salt, Blend them together coarsely adding water if needed. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Grind it to a smooth consistency. (Add water if needed to facilitate grinding but only as little as possible.)
* Tempering is optional. Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds and red chili. When mustard starts to splutter, add curry leaves and turn off the stove, Add it to chutney and mix. 
* Serve with rottis or rice. Any leftover chutney can be refrigerated.

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Apple Chutney (South Indian Style)

Granny Smith apples, especially the sour ones work well in some of the south Indian style dishes and this chutney is one of those. Along with the instant pickle variety, this is a regularly made and well liked chutney in my home.

Ingredients:
2 small green apples / 1 cup peeled and grated apple
2 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 tsp. skinned black gram / urad dal 
2 dried red chillies, broken into bits
1 pinch of asafoetida powder
Salt to taste

Method:
* Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds and black gram. When black gram starts to turn golden brown, add red chillies and asafoetida. Stir once, turn off the stove and let it cool.
* Peel and grate the apple just before grinding. Add the above tempering, grated apple and salt to a food processor or blender and grind coarsely. In case if the apples are not sour, add lime / lemon juice to taste, if preferred.
* Serve immediately and refrigerate the left over chutney.

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