Ginger Chutney / Inji Thuvaiyal - Thamizhar Style

Ginger Chutney: (Tamil Nadu Style)

Other Names: Adharak Chutney. Inji Thovaiyal. Inji Thokku. Allam Pachadi - Tamil Nadu Style.

Ingredients:

Ginger 50 gms peeled, chopped
Garlic 4 cloves
Thuvar dal/urad dal 1 table spoon
Coconut 4" chopped - I used dessicated one
Peppercorns 1 teaspoon
Dry red chilies 5-7
Tamarind pulp - gooseberry size
Brown sugar/jaggery 1 teaspoon
Salt
Sesame oil few spoons.

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds
Cumin seeds
Urad dal
Dry red chili
Asafoetida
Curry leaves
Sesame oil few spoons.

Method:

In a wide wok, dry toast the lentils and coconut...set aside.

In the same wok, heat few spoons of oil. Add the above mentioned ingredients and stir-fry till fragrant.

Once they are aromatic...blend step-1 and step-2 together.

Now heat up a pan, add oil and all the tempering spices to it. Once they pop and splutter, turn them off and run this seasoning over the chutney made.

That's it, friends...call it a day and wind up on the couch:) You probably knew, that this chutney could be used as a dip for Idlies and dosas:)

Pottukadalai Chutney / Bhuni Chana Chutney / Toasted Lentils Chutney

Odaicha Kadalai Chutney:

While growing up, I hated this chutney so much...this is the only chutney they kept serving for years in my hostel. Oh man, I just cringe going back to those horrid days. I used to long for Mommy's Thengai Chutney. Now things have changed differently...its not always about 'pleasure of eating'...guilt for good food', thinking too much about on going problems like cholesterol and diabetes! That's how I planned to fix this pottukadalai chutney for a change, and looks like I never made them before' so lets it be in my blog too:) You know what, my version is so much better, well-improvised (unlike hostel one')...trust me, I loved it:)

Ingredients:

Toasted chickpeas 1 cup
Coconut 2-4 pieces - chopped
Dry red chilies 5
Curry leaves 3 springs
Garlic 4 cloves
Ginger 2" grated
Salt
Oil few spoons.

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Chana-Urid dal 2 spoons
Red chili 1 crushed
Curry leaves few
Sesame oil few spoons.

Method:

In a wok, heat oil. Add all the ingredients and fry them till fragrant.

Now wet-grind the same, do not add too much of water.

Temper the spices in hot oil and run the same over the chutney made. There you go..its done.

Serve to go with idlis and dosas.

Red Chili Chutney

Milagai Saandhu:

Sigappu Milaga Chutney. Milaga Chutney / Thokku.

Can you believe it, red chilies have more Vitamin-A than an orange. So, load up red chilies next time when you shop. At the same time, I need to alert you...too much of spicy food will lead to gastric-ulcer, watch out. Seriously, I can't bear the heat but loved the idea of fresh red chili chutney...so slightly tweaked the recipe my way. Yes, used Jalapenos instead. One could also carefully avoid seeds and remove the inner pith to avoid excess heat. Hmmm, chilies have their heat in veins, definetely not in the seeds or the flesh! So get rid of the inner pith!

Ingredients:

Ripe Red chilies (I used Jalapenos tho')
Garlic 1 whole head, grated
Rock Salt
Turmeric
Sesame oil few spoons

Method:

Heat oil, in a wok. Add garlic, salt and chopped red chilies...saute for few minutes.

Grind them coarsely.

Serve to go with your Barotta, Idly or dosa.

Poondu Chutney / Poondu Thuvaiyal

Poondu Thuvaiyal:

Ingredients:
Garlic 1 head
Red chilies 7
Onion 1 bulb
Salt
Temepering spices
Oil.

Method:

In a wide wok, heat oil and fry garlic and chilies together till fragrant.

Then wet-grind the same.

In a separate pan, heat oil and add the tempering spices and run this seasoning over the chutney made.

Eggplant Chutney

Brinjal Chutney:

Eggplant Dip, Baingan Chutney.

I like North Indian style 'Baingan ka Bhurta' so much, except the part of...skinning the eggplants!! I feel that violet colored skin is more appetizing than the pulp itself!! Moreover all the essential vitamins and minerals lie close to the skin or on the skin. Skin is the natural barrier against the nutrient loss!! So why to peel them? Here...I tweaked the same recipe into my favourite South Indian version 'Chutney'...how about that!!

Ingredients:

Eggplant 1 large
Green chilies 3
Onion 1 small bulb
Garlic 3 cloves
Ginger 1"
Tomato 1 large
Salt
Tamarind paste 1/4 spoon
Sesame oil few spoons.

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/2 spoon
Chana dal 1 spoon
Urad dal 1 spoon
Curry leaves few
Sesame oil few spoons.

Method:

Smear oil all over the eggplant and bake or preferably broil them. Then, please retain the skin!! Slightly mash them, set aside.

Now, in a wide pan, heat oil. add chilies, garlic, ginger, onions, tomatoes and eggplants.

Fry for few minutes and puree coarsely in a blender.

In a separate pan, heat oil...add the tempering spices one by one and wait till they pop and splutter. Now run this seasoning over the chutney made.

Enjoy as a dip or an accompaniment for pongal, pulav or birinji rice.

Thengai Chutney

Coconut Chutney:

I could not find any decent coconuts here at Oxford. If I tell in advance my farmer's market friend Liz used to bring them rarely. But the flavour and aroma never was so appealing. So when I went to India.....used lavish amount of coconut in my cooking. And believe me this is the first time I am making our regular 'Thengai Chutney' in my whole life...and also idlies! (See my fluffy idly post....updated picture....yeah never had a idly cooker at oxford, guilty - Tamil Nadu born)

Ingredients:

Frsh Coconut 1/2 shell
Green chilies 2
Salt
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Chana+urad dal 1 spoon
Curry leaves few
Oil few spoons.

Method:

Wet-grind coconut with salt and chilies. Set aside in a bowl.

Heat oil in a pan. Temper the spice and run them over the above chutney. Mix and enjoy with idly or dosa.

Pennywort Greens Chutney

Vallarai Thuvaiyal:

Ingedients:

Vallarai Greens 1 cup(leaves alone)
Coconut grated 1 cup
Urad dal 1 fistful
Ginger 1"(optional)
Garlic 4 beads
Peppercorns 4
Cumin 1/4 spoon
Dry red chilies 5-6
Tamarind paste 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few
Salt
Ghee/oil.

Method:

Wash the greens and set aside.

In a wok, heat Ghee. Add pepper, cumin, chilies and curry leaves. Fry for aout 2 minutes.

Then followed by ginger and garlic.

Add urad dal and fry real good. Maybe till it turns to golden color.

Now add coconut and fry for another 2 minutes.

Add the leaves and fry till they wilt.

Finally add tamarind paste to it and fry for another 2 minutes.

Remove from heat. Bring this to room temperature and wet-grind coarsely using very limited water.

Serve to go with plain steamed rice. Running a spoon ful of ghee would make it less bitter!

Vepampoo Thuvaiyal:

Fresh Neem Flower Thuvaiyal/Chutney.

Ingedients:

Fresh Neem Flowers (4-7 inflorescence)
Coconut grated 1 cup
Urad dal 1 fistful
Ginger 1"
Garlic 4 beads
Peppercorns 4
Cumin 1/4 spoon
Dry red chilies 5-6
Curry leaves few
Salt
Oil.

Method:

Carefully whither the flowers alone. Wash and set aside.

In a wok, heat oil. Add pepper, cumin, chilies and curry leaves. Fry for aout 2 minutes.

Then followed by ginger and garlic.

Add urad dal and fry real good. Maybe till it turns to golden color.

Now add coconut and fry for another 2 minutes.

Add neem flowers finally and fry till they wilt.

Remove from heat. Bring this to room temperature and wet-grind coarsely using very limited water.

Serve to go with plain steamed rice. Running a spoon ful of ghee would make it less bitter!

Bombay Chutny:

This is quick fix dip in most of the house. Just for a change!

Ingredients:

Bengal gram flour 1 small cup
Green chilies slitted
Curry leaves
Onion 1 chopped
Tomato 1 chopped
Salt
Turmeric 1 pinch
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Oil fw spoons.

Method:

In a bowl, add gram flour. By adding luke water water to this....make a thick runny consistency batter. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok, add mustard, curry leaves and chilies. Wait till they splutter up.

Add onions and fry real good. Add salt, turmeric to it.

Now add toamtoes and fry for a while.

Add gram flour batter to this. Keep stirring. Once the bubbling sttles and the chutney consolidates...remove from heat.

Serve to go with idlies or dosas.

Spanish Onion Chutney:

Ingredients:

Purple Onions 4 small chopped roughly
Garlic 2-4 beads
Dry red chilies 4
Salt
Tamarind paste 1/4 spoon
Oil few spoons.

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Chana dal 1/4 spoon
Urad dal 1/4 spoon
Aafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few
Oil few spoons.

Method:

Heat oil, in a pan, toss all the ingredients together and fry for a brief period. Then wet-grind them to chutney.

In a seperate pan, heat up oil. Cracle up tempering items and run them over the chutney prepared. Enjoy with Dosa or Idly.

Mango Chutney:

Ingredients:

Mango(semi ripe/raw)-1 medium sized
Purple onion 1 small bulb
Green chilies 3
Garlic 2 beads
Salt

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Urad dal 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few
Oil few spoons.

Method:

Remove seed and peel the mango. Chop them down. Chop chilies and onion as well.

Heat few spoons of oil and fry all the ingredients in it for quick 2-4 minutes.

Then wet-grind them using very limited water. Do not over grind to paste. Let this be coarsely done.

In a seperate apn, heat oil and add the tempering items and them run this seasonning over the chutney prepared!

Serve to go with idly or dosa. Very tangy chutney!

Peerkankai Chutney:

Ridge Gourd Chutney. Beerakai Chatni. Chinese Okra Dip.

Ingredients:

Ridge Gourd/Ribbed Gourd/Chinese Okra 1 medium
Onion 1 chopped
Garlic 5 cloves chopped
Tomato 1 chopped
Dry red chilies 3
Green chilies 1
Salt
Oil few spoons.

Sesonning:(optional)

Oil few spoons
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Chana dal 1/4 spoon
Urad dal 1/4 spoon
Aafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few.

Method:

Wash and pat dryt he gourd. Scrape away its ridges, spoon away its seeds as well. Chop th epulp alone.

Heat oil in a pan, Stir-in garlic, onions and toamtoes...fry for few minutes.

When the onion turns to golden color, garlic's raw smell leaves and tomato wilts....add ridge gourd. Saute for few more minutes. Maybe add salt now.

Then wet-grind these to thick puree. Add very limited water. Set aside.

Heat oil in a small pan, add all the tempering items mentioned above. When the crack and splutter...run this over the chutney prepared.

Serve as a side dish for idly, dosa, poori or as a dip to chips. Its healthy choice with dietary fibre in it.

Beet Root Chutney:

Beet Root Dip. Beet Root ka Chutney.

Ingredients:

Beet Root 2 chopped
Onion 1 chopped
Garlic 5 cloves chopped
Tomato 1 chopped
Dry red chilies 3
Green chilies 1
Salt
Oil few spoons.

Sesonning:

Oil few spoons
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Chana dal 1/4 spoon
Urad dal 1/4 spoon
Aafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few.

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, Stir-in garlic, onions and toamtoes...fry for few minutes.

When the onion turns to golden color, garlic's raw smell leaves and tomato wilts....add beets. Saute for few more minutes. Maybe add salt now.

Then wet-grind these to thick puree. Add very limited water. Set aside.

Heat oil in a small pan, add all the tempering items mentioned above. When the crack and splutter...run this over the chutney prepared.

Serve as a side dish for idly, dosa, poori or as a dip to chips.

Casa Casa Chutney:

Poppy Seeds Chutney. Poppy Chutney. Kasa Kasa Chatni. Gasa Gasa Chatni.

Ingredients:

Poppy seeds 1 cup
Garlic 5 cloves
Coconut grated 1/2 cup(optional)
Dry red chilies 7-10
Salt as per taste
Tamarind paste ¼ spoon
Mustard seeds 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Chana dal 1 spoon
Urad dal 1 spoon
Asafoetida ¼ spoon
Dry red chilies 3
Curry leaves 1 cup
Peanut Oil ¼ cup.

Method:

Heat a heavy bottomed Iron wok. Dry toast the poppy seeds. Now soak them in warm water for 2 hours.

Then in a same wok, dry toast coconut and dry chilies too.

Bring salt, tamarind, dry toasted chilies, coconut and soaked poopyseeds in a blender. Wet grind using very limited water. Maybe like a heavy creamy chutney/paste.

Then transfer the above blended chutney into a display bowl.

In a small pan, heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, chana, urad dal, dry red chilies and curry leaves. Fry them real good till they pop and splutter well.

Now run this seasoning to this chutney prepared.

Serve as a side dish for Idly and Dosa.

Carrot Chutney:

Carrot Dip. Gajjar ka Chutney.

Ingredients:

Carrots 4 chopped
Onion 1 chopped
Garlic 5 cloves chopped
Tomato 1 chopped
Dry red chilies 3
Green chilies 3
Salt
Oil few spoons.

Sesonning:

Oil few spoons
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Chana dal 1/4 spoon
Urad dal 1/4 spoon
Aafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few.

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, Stir-in garlic, onions and toamtoes...fry for few minutes.

When the onion turns to golden color, garlic's raw smell leaves and toamto wilts....add carrots. Saute for few more minutes. Maybe add salt now.

Then wet-grind these to thick puree. Add very limited water. Set aside.

Heat oil in a small pan, add all the tempering items mentioned above. When the crack and splutter...run this over the chutney prepared.

Serve as a side dish for idly, dosa, poori or as a dip to chips.

Cilantro Chutney

Cilantro Chutney:(Version 2)

Coriander Leaves Chutney. Kothamalli Chutney. Malli Chutney. Dhaniya Patha Ki Chutney. Kothamir Chatni. Coconut Free Cilantro Chutney.

Ingredients:

Cilanto leaves alone 1 cup
Green chilies 2-3
Lemon juice 1/2 fruit
Salt

For Sesonning:

Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few
Sesame oil few spoons.

Method:

Wet grind all the ingredients mentioned above.

In a small pan, heat oil. Add all the sesonning items one by one. Fry till they pop and splutter well.

Now run this sesonning ovr the chutney prepared.

Serve as a side dish for idly and dosas. Its simply easy to fix. I prefer this version most of the time, to avoid cholesterol rich coconut!

Baingan Bartha:(North Indian Style)

Eggplant Sabzi. Eggplant Sabji. Brinjal Chutney. Brinjal Thokku. Kathirikkai Thokku. Vangaya Masla Sabzi. North-Indian Style Kathirikkai – Bartha. Masala Kathirikkai Bartha. Brinjal Bartha. Sutta Kathirikkai Masala Chutney. Burnt Brinjal Thokku. Baingan Ka Bartha.

Ingredients:

Large Delhi Eggplant – 1 (Large Delhi Brinjal)
Green chilies 3 – finely chopped
Onion 1 large – finely chopped
Tomato 1 large – finely chopped
Ginger-garlic paste 1 spoon
Salt
Mustard oil few spoons.

For Seasoning:

Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Asafoetida ¼ spoon
Turmeric powder ¼ spoon
Chili Powder 1 spoon
Garam masala powder ½ spoon
Mustard oil ½ cup.

For Garnishing:

Fresh Fenugreek leaves few (or) Dry Fenugreek leaves few.

Method:

Gently apply oil over the large-eggplant. Then hold it right into the flames of hot fire. Let it get burned all over it sides.

(If you find it hard…to hold it in the flame, Simply broil or bake it in the oven. I prefer broiling than baking actually)

Then peel off the skin.

Now mash this eggplant to smooth paste. Set aside.

In a pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds and asafetida. Allow it to pop well.
Add chilies to this. Allow the chilies to pop as well.

Then add onions and fry real good. Maybe till the onions turn to golden color.

Then add ginger-garlic paste too. Fry till the raw smell leaves.

Further add tomatoes and continue frying. Maybe till the oil shows up on sides.
Stir-in mashed eggplant now.

Add salt, turmeric, chili and garam masala powder. Cover and cook till it blends togather.

Remove from the stove and transfer it to display vessel.

Garnish with fresh fenugreek leaves or cilantro leaves.

Serve hot along with chappathis or pulka rotis. It makes a perfect side dish for Indian bread/rotis.

Pachai Milagu Thuvaiyal:

Green whole raw Pepper Thuvaiyal. Raw Green Pepper Chutney. Raw Pepper Chutney. Kacha Kali Mirch Chutney. Pacha Kurumilagu Thuvaiyal.

Raw green peppers(raw form of black pepper – looks green) Fresh and firm right from the forest……is used in this recipe.

My Dad showed me the ‘pods’ of black pepper in the forest areas around western ghats. When I tried opening them….they had this amazing cluster of raw green peppers in it. It smelt good. I brought few of those pods home. My mommy never used it in cooking….until it turned black and dry. Maybe we were used to only this form(black pepper) in cooking.

After my culinary adventures….I have no stigma in trying for newer recipes. And for my luck most of the time….it never let me down.

Ingredients:

Raw green peppers – 1 pod(Green & Raw form of Black Pepper)
Thuvar Dal – 1 small cup
Grated Coconut – 1 small cup
Garlic – 4 cloves chopped
Tamarind paste less than a ¼ spoon
Salt
Sesame oil few spoons.

For Seasoning:

Mustard seeds ½ spoon
Cumin seeds ½ spoon
Chana dal 1 spoon
Urad dal 1 spoon
Asafoetida ¼ spoon
Curry leaves few
Oil few spoons.

Method:

In a pan, heat few spoons of oil. Stir in thuvar dal, raw peppers, grated coconut, garlic, tamarind and salt. Stir fry till fragrant.

Then wet-grind the above mixture to thick paste….maybe adding very little water to it.

In the same pan, heat little more oil. Add mustard and cumin seeds. Allow them to splutter. Then add chana, urad dal, asafetida and curry leaves. Fry them for few minutes.

Now run this seasoning over the above prepared chutney.

Serve as a side dish thuvaiyal along with plain steam cooked rice or rasam rice or sambar rice.

Mint Chutney:

Mint Chutney to go with Biriyani. Pudhina Chutney. Podhina Chatni. Pudina Chatni.

Ingredients:

Mint leaves alone 1 cup (without stem)
Green chilies 1
Yogurd/curd 1 cup
Salt as per taste
Lime juice few spoons.

Method:

Wash and clean mint leaves. Deseed the chilies and chop them roughly.

In a blender, add salt, lime juice, mint and chilies…..wet grind them into thin paste.

Now mix this green paste with yogurd.

Serve along with Biriyani, Pulav or Tandoori chicken.

Verkadalai Chutney:(Tamizhar Style)

Ground Nut Chutney. Peanut Chutney. Nilakadalai Chutney. Phalli Chatni. Groundnut Chatni. Verkadalai Chatni.

Ingredients:

Peanuts 2 cups(shell removed)
Garlic 5 cloves
Coconut grated 1 cup
Dry red chilies 7-10
Salt as per taste
Tamarind paste ¼ spoon
Mustard seeds 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Chana dal 1 spoon
Urad dal 1 spoon
Asafoetida ¼ spoon
Dry red chilies 3
Curry leaves 1 cup
Peanut Oil ¼ cup.

Method:

Heat a heavy bottomed Iron wok. Dry toast the peanuts. Transfer them to a wide plate. Now carefully rub them to remove the pink skin off…..while they are still warm.

Then in a same wok, dry toast coconut and dry chilies too.

Bring salt, tamarind, dry toasted chilies, coconut and peanuts in a blender. Wet grind using very limited water. Maybe like a heavy creamy chutney/paste.

Then transfer the above blended chutney into a display bowl.

In a small pan, heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, chana, urad dal, dry red chilies and curry leaves. Fry them real good till they pop and splutter well.

Now run this seasoning to this chutney prepared.

Serve as a side dish for Idly and Dosa.