Dry-roasted Coconut Chutney (Thenga chuttaracha chammanthi)

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This is a recipe that has nostalgia as a main ingredient ! As a Malayalee, I love anything coconut and a chutney like this, is a part of everyday diet, back in Kerala.We have this with our breakfast, as a side for puzhukku (mashed yuca or jackfruit mostly),with our lunch (rice, thoran etc) and also with our dinner (if it is kanji aka rice porridge). I guess you got how much we, Keralaites, love these semi-dry chutneys,because they match with almost everything we eat.

Chutney Powder for Dosa/Idli

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How was Thanksgiving break and the Black Friday shopping ? All set for welcoming the biggest festival of the season? We had a wonderful week with sumptuous food and good friends.The weather seems to be nice, well maybe only till today.It is going to snow tomorrow,better it be, since this is almost December and it is Colorado !

This post has been in the my draft for a long long time. I didn't post it since I didn't like the pictures I took that day except the pictures of the chillies. Even now I'm not satisfied with the pictures.Dull colors are always a challenge, would love to hear your experiences.

This is a must in my house and I don't know why it took me so long to blog about it ! My kids like this too and they prefer this over the coconut chutney I make.If you haven't tried this yet,I tell you, it's so easy and simple.There are hundreds of versions available on the net, this is how we make it in our home, back in Kerala.I am so happy to share with you, one more recipe, handed over by my mom-in-law.Hope you will try out this version and enjoy it !

Ingredients:

Dried Red chillies- 8-10
Black Pepper corns- ~20
Urad Dal/Black Gram- 1 cup

Method:

1.Heat a pan on medium flame/heat.Dry roast the red chilies and the black pepper.This is the only hard part especially if you are sensitive to spicy things.The heated red chilies may make you sneeze, so if you have a mask in handy ,use that.
2.Take the chilies and pepper out and roast the urad dal.Keep the heat on medium and stir continuously.Do not burn the dal.Turn off the heat when the dal chnages to a slight brown color and you start getting the roasted dal smell.
3.Let this cool down a bit.
4.Throw everything in the blender/dry grinder when the dal is still warm enough to hold in your hand.Grind it till you get a slightly coarse powder.
5.Serve a Tbsp or two with some oil (coconut,vegetable, canola or olive0 of your preference as a side for Idli/Dosa.
6.You can store this in an airtight container for several weeks.

Notes:

1.You can change the number of chilies and pepper corn according to your spice level. The measurements I gave will give you a medium spicy chutney powder.
2.Coconut oil is the best with this powder, but it is a personal preference.

Tomato Chutney

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     At times I get these urges to make dosas.  My favorite is masala dosa but since its heavy and I am trying very hard to cut down on carbohydrates I will have to settle for a plain dosas.  However, I still wanted to do something special and make this a little more exciting.  What do I do? I made some tomato chutney.  I hope you will enjoy it.

Ingredients:
Gingelli oil                                            - 1 Tbspn
Chana Dal (dry split chickpea)             -  1/2 Tbspn
Urad Dal (                                           - 1 tspn
Onions                                                - chopped fine about 1 cup
Garlic                                                  - 2 cloves plump, chopped fine
Tomato                                               - 1 medium size chopped fine
Chili Powder                                       - 1/2 Tbspn (its spicy so go easy on it if you like it milder)
Tamarind                                            - 1/2 tspn (a few pinches
Salt                                                    - 1/4 - 1/2 tspn (use as per taste)
Coriander Leaves                               - 4-5 sprigs finely chopped

Method:
1. Heat oil in a tawa and fry the chana dal and urad dal
2. Once the dal turn golden add the onions and fry till translucent
3. Add garlic and saute a minute followed with tomato
4. Once the tomato has been sauted add all the chili powder
5. Turn the heat off, let it cool grind in a blender with the tamarind and coriander leaves to a fine paste

Note:
You can use this as a dip or on dosas.
Contributor: Sunitha

Manga Chammanthi/ Mango Chutney

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  Another mango treat made during this season.  Summer and the raw mango season is fast fading in Kerala, India but without letting you in on how to make mango chammanthi it will not be complete.  Mostly we use the mangoes that fall down from the tree, before they mature,for this chutney.  The sourness of mango soothed over by sweet coconut and then taken a notch up on the spicy scale with green chillies this is all you will need with hot rice.  I have to admit I can eat a plate of rice with just this and some curd. I will not let any other flavors bother this rich, spicy taste.  Give it a shot and let me know what you think     



Ingredients:

Mango slices- 2-3 (2 by 4 inch pieces,preferably the flesh, closest to the seed)
Coconut grated- 1/3 cup
Green chillies- 2 or 3
Shallot- 1
Curry leaves- 2
Salt- to taste

Method:

1.Peel off the skin from mango slices.
2.Grind everything together in the small bowl of a mixie/ on the "ammikkallu" without adding any water.
3.If you are grinding using an "ammikkallu"/arakallu grind the coconut and mango first followed by green chillies, shallot and salt. Finally grind everything together/mix together.
4.Serve with rice,thoran and curd/yogurt.Believe me,if you haven't tried this one yet, it tastes divine :-)



1.I did grind this in a mixie, the presentation is just for the camera ;-)
2.You could add more or less mango slices, according to your sourness level.

Sending this to "Green Gourmet event" hosted by Preeti of Write food.Happy hosting, such a cool event Preeti :-)



Contributor: Namitha

Chana dal Chutney with Egg Dosa

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I wonder where dosas originated. It did in the south of India for sure.  Which state, however? Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Karnataka or Kerala is what I wonder. While you ponder over that let me share a spicy chutney that goes with dosas. If you do not know about dosas it looks like crepes.  The batter is made with  lentils and rice soaked separately and ground to a smooth paste. Left overnight in a warm place it ferments and is ready to be ladled on a hot griddle to make crisp dosas.  Please check our post on dosas here for measurements and exact process.

  Just like pancakes are served for breakfast in the U.S. Anywhere in the south of India you will find restaurants serving dosas.  If its IHOP or waffle house  in America to serve pancakes you have Shanthi Sagar, Udipi Restaurant, Sukh Sagar, Anand Bhavan and myriad other names in south India for dosas.  Folded in banana leaves with the chutney pressed between the folds is how it is served when you order a 'to go.'  This chutney is difficult to find in Kerala but common in all the other southern states.  Having been fortunate to move around a lot in the south I have always enjoyed the different chutneys.  This is spicy, rich in proteins and very filling.  

Ingredients:

Chick pea grams (Chana Dal)    - 1/2 cup
Grated coconut                         - 1/4 cup
Thai Chilli                                 - 3 nos
Dry Red Chilli                          - 2 nos
Coarsely chopped ginger          - 1 tbspn
Garlic                                       - 1 or 2 cloves
Curry Leaves                           - 1 sprig
Coriander Leaves                    - 1/2 a bunch
Salt                                         - 1 tspn
Tamarind                                - 1 marble sized ball
Onions                                    - 1/2 of  a medium size

Method:

1. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a skillet and on medium flame or temperature on your stove fry the chickpea for a while.  You will see them puff up or slightly turn color when you can add the next ingredient
2. Add red chillies and saute
3. Followed by ginger, onions, garlic, curry leaves and coriander leaves.  Once you add the coriander leaves  toss it around and then switch off the stove.  We are only trying to incorporate the coriander leaves to exude some some of it is aroma and yet not lose its fresh taste completely. 
4. Remove mixture from pan and transfer the ingredients into another vessel to cool off 
5. In a blender grind all the fried ingredients, coconut, green chillies, tamarind and salt.
6. I added around 1/4 cup of water while grinding but the lesser water you can add while grinding the better your chutney will taste

Egg Dosa

To make dosas follow instructions here.

Once you have ladled the batter and whirled the batter to make crepe shaped dosas beat an egg and pour it over.  Cover the girdle with a lid and and cook on medium heat.  Flip the dosa over making sure the egg is thoroughly cooked.

Server with sambar and chutney or only the chutney mentioned above.

Serving Size for chutney
Serves 4 - 6 people

Note:

     The photo of the eggs are because I got carried away with some farm fresh eggs I got last week.  They are eggs from chickens raised on a friends farm. There are two lovely light green shelled eggs that you see with the beautiful brown eggs.  Apparently, the green eggs come from a different breed/stock of hens.

Coconut Chutney-Red

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This is one of those dishes which will take you right into Kerala. Though chutney is one of the dishes that all south Indians make,mostly Malayalees make chutney with just coconut. We have so many varieties in this and today I am going to talk about the red chutney that goes well with dosa, masala dosa and idli. This is my Mom's recipe and is a hit in my family.



Ingredients

For grinding:
Coconut grated-1 Cup
Green chillies- 1
Red chillies-5
Ginger-a half inch cube
Shallot-1

salt-to taste
Water

For seasoning:
Mustard-1/2 tsp
Shallot(thinly sliced)-1-2
Red chillies(halves)-3
Curry leaves-1 sprig
Cocnut oil/any oil -1tbsp



Method:

1.Grind all the ingredients listed under grinding, to a smooth paste.
2.Heat oil in a pan and do the seasoning.
3.Meanwhile take the grind mixture in a bowl and add enough water and salt, mix well
4.Pour this into the pan where you have the seasoning and mix well.
5.Let this boil till you see a froth forming on the top.
6.Mix well and pour into the serving bowl
7.Do not over-boil the chutney. That will make it curdled.
8. Serve with Dosa, Masala Dosa or Idli.

Contributor: Namitha