Bombay Chutney (பாம்பே சட்னி)

My grandmother used to make Bombay chutney as an accompaniment to poori or chapati. I am not sure why it is called Bombay chutney! Those days, in a traditional household, poori and chapati were rare delicacies, probably learnt from those women who had settled down in North India, as girls were often married off to well-employed, eligible boys in Bombay. Therefore, it is possible that Bombay chutney was adapted from the Maharashtrian dish "Pitla" made from gram flour. Nonetheless, if you do not have any vegetable in stock, you can confidently rely on Bombay chutney to save the day!

Ingredients:

Bengal gram flour or besan - 2 tablespoons

Oil - 2 teaspoons

Split urad dhal - 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Green chili - 1 no, chopped

Ginger - ½ inch piece, grated

Asafoetida - a generous pinch

Salt - to taste

Curry leaves - a few

Coriander leaves - chopped, 1 tablespoon

Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon (optional)

Method: 

• Dissolve Bengal gram flour in 2 cups of water without forming lumps. Add in salt and asafoetida. Mix well and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds and when they start to sputter, add in urad dhal. Sauté till the dhal turns golden brown in color. Add green chilies and ginger; sauté for 30 seconds.
• Reduce the flame and add in the besan mixture slowly while stirring continuously. Cook till the mixture thickens. Switch off the fire.
• Add lemon juice and mix well. Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves. Serve hot with poori or chapati.

Note: If desired, you may add chopped onions to the seasoning in the kadai and fry till it becomes light brown in color, and then add gram flour mixture.

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Carrot Chutney (கேரட் சட்னி)

I have already shared with you how to make 20 different chutneys on Rathika’s Nest. However, adding variety to the breakfast menu is always refreshing. Hence, let me share one more chutney recipe today. Here we go.

Ingredients:

Fresh carrots – 2 no

Roasted peanuts – 1 tablespoon

Roasted gram – 1 tablespoon

Green chilies – 2 to 3 no

Grated coconut – 2 tablespoons

Salt – to taste

Oil – 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon

Curry leaves – a few

Method: Scrape the skin of the carrots; wash and cut them in to cubes. Grind the carrot pieces with roasted peanuts, roasted gram, green chilies, salt, grated coconut and enough water into a smooth paste using the mixer-grinder. Transfer the chutney to a bowl. Heat oil in a tadka/spice pan; add mustard seeds and when they crackle remove from the fire. Add the seasoning to the chutney. Garnish with curry leaves. Serve with idly, dosa or any other traditional tiffin item. 

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Apple Chutney (ஆப்பிள் சட்னி)

Once in a while, I crave for something different to eat and in those moments I tend to experiment in the kitchen, sometimes with great results. Here is the result of one such experiment. This apple chutney is the traditional Indian chutney with a twist and it goes well with our very own dosa.

Ingredients:

Apple – small, 1 no, cut into cubes

Carrot – small, 1 no, cut into cubes

Coconut – grated, 3 tablespoons

Green chili – 2 to 3 no, adjust to taste

Salt – to taste

Method: Simple. Grind all the ingredients into a smooth paste using a mixer-grinder. Serve with dosa or idly. You can also serve it with snacks like koftas. 

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Date Chutney (பேரீச்சம்பழ சட்னி)

Recently, I came across an exotic recipe when I visited my relative Mrs. Radha, who kindly shared it with me. I tried this wonderful sweet and spicy chutney recipe, which came out very well. Date chutney is easy-to-make, simple, and goes well with all types of idly, dosa and adai preparations.

Ingredients:

Coriander leaves – washed well and chopped, ½ tea cup

Mint leaves – removed from stalks and washed well, ½ tea cup

Dates – seed removed, 5-8 no

Green chili – medium size, 1 no

Salt – to taste

Fried gram – 2 tablespoons

Method: Wash the leaves very well and drain. Blend the leaves with all other ingredients into a fine paste using the mixer grinder. Transfer to a bowl. Date chutney is ready! Serve with your favorite breakfast.

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Ridge Gourd Chutney (பீர்க்கங்காய் துவையல்)

Traditionally ridge gourd or its skin alone (!) has been used to make thuvayal. This chutney or thuvayal (பீர்க்கங்காய் துவையல்) makes a good accompaniment to curd rice or even rasam rice! Let me share the authentic traditional recipe with you.

Ingredients:

Ridge gourd – small, cut into cubes (do not peel), 1 no

Toor dhal or split red gram – 1 tablespoon

Red chili – 2-3 no or as desired

Salt – to taste

Coconut – grated, 2 tablespoons (optional)

Tamarind – a small bit

Asafoetida – a generous pinch

Oil – 2 teaspoons

Method: Wash the ridge gourd well, cut off the ends and cut the vegetable into cubes. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a kadai, add red chilies and toor dhal. Fry till the dhal turns golden brown. Transfer to a bowl. Now heat the remaining oil and fry the ridge gourd pieces till the fleshy portion starts to become soft. Allow the vegetable to cool. Later grind the fried items, ridge gourd, coconut, tamarind, salt and asafoetida using a mixer-grinder into a smooth paste. Your chutney is ready! 

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Spicy Chutney (கார சட்னி)

Spicy chutney (கார சட்னி) goes well with most of the traditional breakfast items. Be it the soft, steamed idlies or crispy dosas, this chutney makes a great accompaniment. What’s more, it provides variety to your breakfast and is ideal to pack in your tiffin box! Let’s see how to make this yummy chutney.

Ingredients:

Onion – 1 no, cut into cubes

Tomato – 2 no, cut into cubes

Coriander leaves – a handful

Mint leaves – a handful

Red chili – 1 to 2 no (adjust to taste)

Oil – 3 teaspoons

Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon

Black gram or urad dhal – 1 teaspoon

Bengal gram or channa dhal – 1 teaspoon

Spicy Chutney (கார சட்னி)

Method: Wash coriander and mint leaves in running water. Drain. Chop coarsely and keep aside. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a kadai; add red chilies and fry till they turn darker. Add urad dhal and channa dhal and fry till they turn golden brown. Now add onion pieces and fry till they become transparent. Add coriander and mint leaves. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, and finally add tomatoes. Fry together for 1 more minute. Allow the contents to cool. Later blend the contents together with salt in a mixer-grinder into a smooth paste. Transfer the chutney to a bowl. Heat the remaining oil in a spice pan, add mustard seeds and when they start to sputter, switch off the stove. Add the seasoning to the chutney. Serve with hot idly, dosa or uppuma. 

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Mint Thuvayal (புதினா துவையல்)

Mint (புதினா) leaves have a distinctive aroma and unique taste. Mint is rich in anti-oxidants, dietary fiber, vitamins A, C, E and B complex, essential oils, and minerals such as iron, calcium and potassium. Traditionally mint leaves are used for preparing marinades, chutneys, salads, and coolers; and also as flavoring agent. I have already shared with you the recipe of mint chutney, which can be served with idly or dosa. My grandmother used to make a spicier ‘thuvayal’ with mint leaves and it makes an excellent combination with curd rice, uppuma and kichadi. Let’s proceed with the recipe.

Mint leaves

Ingredients: (Serves three)

Mint (புதினா) leaves – 2 teacups or 400ml measure*

Tamarind – a small bit

Urad dhal – 2 tablespoons

Bengal gram dhal – 1 tablespoon

Red chilies – 2-3, adjust to taste

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 teaspoons

* Usually one bunch of mint leaves would be equivalent to this volume.

Method: Separate the mint leaves from the stalks, and wash them well in running water. Drain fully. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai, add red chilies and fry till they turn darker in color. Add urad dhal and Bengal gram dhal, and fry till the dhals turn golden brown in color. Now add the mint leaves and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Remove from fire and allow the ingredients to cool.

Grind fried ingredients, tamarind and salt with required water into a thick fine paste. Serve with curd rice, kichadi or uppuma. You may refrigerate the thuvayal and use it for a few days.

Mint Thuvayal (புதினா துவையல்)

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Lentil Chutney or Paruppu Thuvayal (பருப்பு துவையல்)

Lentil chutney (பருப்பு துவையல்) is an easily digestible chutney that can be eaten with steamed rice and ghee, or along with rasam and rice. Rice mixed with jeera-pepper rasam (ஜீரா மிளகு ரசம்) served with lentil chutney and roasted pappad (சுட்ட அப்பளம்) make an excellent combination. It is the ideal diet during convalescence and after festivities. My grandmother used to make this chutney in two different methods – one without coconut, and the other with coconut. I prefer the former method, which has the authentic taste. Nevertheless, let me share both methods with you. Here we go.

Ingredients:

Toor dhal or split red gram – teacup or 100ml measure

Dried red chilies (குண்டு மிளகாய் வத்தல்) – 2-3 no (adjust to taste)

Tamarind – a small bit

Asafoetida – a generous pinch

Salt – to taste

Oil – 1 teaspoon

Lentil Chutney or Paruppu Thuvayal (பருப்பு துவையல்)

Method: Heat oil in a kadai. Add split red gram/toor dhal and sauté till the dhal turns golden brown in color. Switch off the stove and allow the dhal to cool. Add ¼ teacups (50 ml) of water to the fried dhal and let it stand for 10-20 minutes.

Later grind the soaked dhal with red chilies, salt, tamarind and asafoetida into a fine paste using the mixer grinder. Serve with rice and rasam.

Second method: Grind the fried and soaked dhal along with 2 red chilies, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 tablespoons of grated coconut and salt. Omit asafoetida and tamarind. 

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Mint Chutney (புதினா சட்னி)

Mint (புதினா) leaves have a distinctive aroma and unique taste. Mint is rich in anti-oxidants, dietary fiber, vitamins A, C, E and B complex, essential oils, and minerals such as iron, calcium and potassium. It has analgesic, anti-spasmodic and counter-irritant properties. In Indian cuisine mint leaves are used for preparing marinades, chutneys, salads, and coolers; and also as a flavoring agent. Mint chutney has a refreshing taste and goes well with crisp dosa or âppam.

Mint leaves

Ingredients: (Serves three)

Coconut – grated or the white coconut meat cut into pieces, a small hollow ladle or 50ml measure

Mint (புதினா) leaves – 1 teacup or 200ml measure

Tamarind – a small bit

Urad dhal – 1 tablespoon

Green chilies – 2-3, adjust to taste

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 teaspoons

Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon

Mint Chutney (புதினா சட்னி)

Method: Separate the mint leaves from the stalks, and wash them well in running water. Drain fully. Keep aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a kadai, add urad dhal and fry till the dhal turns golden brown in color. Now add the mint leaves and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Remove from fire and allow the ingredients to cool.

Grind coconut, fried ingredients, tamarind and salt with required water into a fine paste using the mixer-grinder. Heat the remaining oil in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds and once they start to sputter, switch off the fire. Add the seasoning to the ground chutney. Serve with idly, dosa, adai, âppam, kuzhi paniyaram or uppuma. 

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Coconut-Ginger Chutney (தேங்காய் இஞ்சி சட்னி)

Ginger is a spice that is widely used in Indian cuisine. It is rich in B complex vitamins, iron, manganese and magnesium. Ginger has a spicy and pungent taste. It is used in native medicine for its anti-inflammatory, ant-infective, anti-emetic and anti-flatulent properties. In addition, ginger juice is a good appetizer. My grandmother used to recommend ginger extract mixed with honey for good digestion. Though ginger is used mainly as a flavoring agent, it can be used to make pickle, pachadi, chutney, mixed rice and thokku. You can add ginger to soups and juices! Coconut-ginger chutney makes a healthy alternative to your routine menu. Try this out.

Ingredients: (Serves four)

Coconut – half of a small coconut, grated or the white coconut meat cut into pieces

Bengal gram dhal – 1 teaspoon

Urad dhal – 1 teaspoon

Green chilli – small, 1 no

Ginger – 5” piece, peeled, cut into pieces

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 teaspoons

Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon

Curry leaves – a few

Coconut-Ginger Chutney (தேங்காய் இஞ்சி சட்னி)

Method: Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a kadai, add Bengal gram dhal and urad dhal, and fry till the dhals turn golden brown. Switch off the fire.

Grind coconut, fried ingredients, green chilli, ginger and salt with required amount of water in to a fine paste. Heat oil in a tadka pan or spice pan (தாளிக்கிற கரண்டி), add mustard seeds and once they start to sputter, switch off the fire. Add the seasoning to the ground chutney. Garnish with curry leaves. Serve with idly, dosa, adai, appam, kuzhi paniyaram or uppuma.

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Green Chutney (பச்சை சட்னி)

Green chutney (பச்சை சட்னி) makes a wonderful accompaniment to vegetable rolls and all types of parathas. It is a simple and easy-to-make chutney. Green chutney has the gentle flavor of mint and coriander leaves.

Ingredients:

Coriander leaves – ½ teacup or 100ml measure (கொத்தமல்லி)

Mint leaves – ½ teacup or 100ml measure (புதினா)

Curry leaves – a few (கறிவேப்பிலை)

Garlic – 1 small pod, peeled

Ginger – grated, ¼ teaspoon (optional)

Fried gram – 1 tablespoon (உடைச்ச கடலை)

Green chilli – small, 1 no

Fresh curds – 2 tablespoons

Salt – to taste

Green Chutney (பச்சை சட்னி)

Method: Wash coriander, mint and curry leaves very well and drain fully. Blend the leaves, with fried gram, ginger, garlic, salt and green chilli with 1-2 teaspoons of water into a smooth thick paste, using the mixer-grinder. Beat the curds well. Mix the paste and curds very well. Your green chutney is ready. Serve with paratha or vegetable roll and pickled onions. 

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Coconut Thuvayal (தேங்காய் துவையல்)

Coconut thuvayal (தேங்காய் துவையல்) is a traditional Brahmin recipe and is prepared without adding water so that it lasts for a few days. Until couple of decades ago, people used to carry food during long journeys as food is not as easily available on the way. Curd rice, tamarind rice and idly were usually made for travel and coconut thuvayal was an essential accompaniment. Even today, after traditional Brahmin weddings, the bride is sent with the groom’s family with packed food called ‘kaatu satha koodai’ (கட்டு சாதக்கூடை) which usually contains mixed rice preparations and thengai thuvayal!  

Coconut Thuvayal (தேங்காய் துவையல்)

Coconut thuvayal tastes wonderful when mixed with rice and ghee. It also goes well with mixed rice preparations such as curd rice, coconut rice or lemon rice and tiffin items.

  

Ingredients: (Serves three)

Coconut – grated or the white coconut meat cut into pieces, ¾ teacup or 150ml measure

Bengal gram dhal – a tablespoon

Urad dhal – a tablespoon

Tamarind – a small bit

Asafoetida – two pinches

Red chillies – 3 or 4, adjust to taste

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 teaspoons 

Method: Heat oil in a kadai, add red chillies and when they become darker in color, add the dhals. Fry till the dhals become golden brown in color. Add asafetida and switch off the fire. Transfer the fried ingredients to a bowl. Now fry the coconut pieces in the kadai just for a minute. Grind coconut, fried ingredients, tamarind, asafoetida, and salt in to a paste. I prefer to grind the thuvayal without adding water. If you find it difficult, add just 1-2 teaspoons of water while grinding. Coconut thuvayal can be eaten with rice and ghee with appalam or vadam. Curd rice and coconut thuvayal make a great combination. You may also serve it with idly or dosa or mixed rice preparations.

Coconut Thuvayal (தேங்காய் துவையல்)

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Shallots Chutney (சாம்பார் வெங்காயச் சட்னி)

Shallots (சாம்பார் வெங்காயம்) are used mainly for making sambar or kuzhambu in Tamilian cuisine, though they can be used in other recipes or eaten raw. They have gentle flavor, but taste similar to onions. Shallots are rich in vitamins, especially Vitamin A, minerals and anti-oxidants. Traditionally, shallots are eaten with curd rice, mainly during summer. 

Well, today seems to be ‘Shallots day’, as I intend to share one more shallots recipe. Here we go…

Ingredients: (Serves four)

Shallots – peeled, 1 teacup or 200ml measure

Salt – to taste

Bengal gram dhal – 1½ teaspoon

Urad dhal – 1½ teaspoon

Red chillies – 2-3 no (adjust to taste)

Tamarind – a small bit

Coconut – grated, 1 tablespoon (optional)

Oil – 1 teaspoon

For garnishing:

Oil – 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon

Curry leaves – a few

Red chilli – 1 no

Shallots Chutney (சாம்பார் வெங்காயச் சட்னி)

Method: Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a kadai, add red chillies, and when they turn darker, add the dhals. Fry till the dhals turn golden brown. Now add shallots, and sauté till they become transparent. Switch off the fire and allow the ingredients to cool. 

Grind the fried ingredients with tamarind, coconut and salt into a fine paste adding water as needed, using a mixer-grinder. Transfer the chutney into a bowl. Heat the remaining oil in a tadka pan or spice pan (தாளிக்கிற கரண்டி), add mustard seeds and when they start to sputter, add curry leaves. Switch off the fire. Add the garnishing to the chutney. Serve with idly, dosa, adai, othappam, kuzhi paniyaram or âppam. Shallots chutney makes an excellent accompaniment to crispy dosa.

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