Pudina Coconut Chutney

Chutneys define Indian cuisine in a way nothing else does. They are spicy, adds that zing which takes a meal to the next level. They are of course a part of every festive meal. They can be a part of a regular meal too. Here is a a chutney that I love. It particularly goes very well with Masale Idlis and Idlis. 

We will need,

Coconut 1 cup grated
Kadale Poppu/ Putani/Roasted Channa dal 3 tbsp
Fresh mint leaves a generous handful
Green chillies 6-10 (adjust according to taste)
Garlic 1 clove
Curry leaves a handful
Tamarind a small piece (1/4 tsp concentrate)
Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat a thick bottom pan on medium heat. Once hot, throw in the green chillies and toast them till they develop dark blister and char spots. Remove the chillies from heat.
• To the same hot pan, throw in the curry leaves and toast them till they change colour. Turn off the heat.
• Combine all the ingredients in a blender and grind it into a paste with very little water.
• Serve with Idli/Dosa or a bread of your choice.

Nallikayi Chutney

This time the Loksabha elections are like nothing we have seen before. The slander, bitter war of words and lack of a meaningful debate on issues that matter is actually so frustrating. Is this the best show we could put forward? I am sure we can do better. But the fact that an erst while tea seller is vying for the post of Prime Minister and legions of 'aam admi's are makes me hopeful that 'we shall overcome, someday'.

For now it is Nallikayi chutney. I was not a big fan of the Gooseberries also called 'Bettada Nallikayi'. But I loved the smaller ones called just 'Nallikayi'. I loved the tart brightness of the fruit. My neighbor had a bush and we did pick juicy ones and pop them into our mouths. Then there the old lady near my school who would sell Nallikayi, Elachikayi, the star fruit and such fruits when they are in season. She would bring the fruits in a wicker basket and wrap a hand full of these goodies with a sprinkling of salt and chilli powder in a piece of news paper. The tartness of the fruit complemented the salt and chilly powder so very well. Who ever discovered the combination must have been a genius.
It has been so long that I have Nallikayi. But I saw a bag of frozen gooseberries aka Bettada Nallikayi.  Frozen fruits are not suitable for pickles so chutney was one recipe that I could think of.  So here comes Nallikayi chutney.

We will need ,

Gooseberries 8-10 big ones
Fenugreek seeds a generous pinch
Peanut oil /coconut oil 1/3 cup (I know, that is good enough for me to faint!!!)
Mustard seeds 1/8 tsp + generous pinch
Jeera 1/4 tsp
Turmeric a generous pinch
Hing a generous dash
Curry leaves a handful
Chilly powder 1 tsp (adjust according to taste)
Salt to taste
Tamarind  paste (optional about 1/4 tsp)
Jaggery to taste

Method:

• Crush the gooseberries in a mortar roughly with a little salt. Remove the seed in the middle of the  fruit. Crush the flesh well, the mixture should resemble shredded coconut.
• Toast the fenugreek and a pinch of mustard on a hot skillet.  Crush it into a fine powder, reserve.
• Heat oil in a pot. Throw in the mustard seeds, Jeera and Hing. Once the spices sizzle, throw in the turmeric and curry leaves.Once they sizzle, throw in the gooseberries. Add a few tbsps of water, cover and cook on low heat till the fruit is tender.
• Throw in the chilli powder, jaggery and the fenugreek mixture. If the gooseberries are not tart enough throw in the tamarind as well. Adjust salt and cook the chutney till it comes together. Serve with hot rice and oodles of ghee. (slurp!)

Habanero Chutney

I love-hate Habanero, love it that it starts off fruity, very fragrant and slightly sweet but ends up with frantic call to the fire department. On our last trip to the farm where we pick our vegetables on good summer days, I found some pretty looking Habaneros, some red, some sort of yellow, they were indeed so adorable. I had to pick them. Never thought of what to do them. Once home, I started thinking of making a pickle with the fiery fellows. But my heart fainted when I ended up using just a couple in a curry in place of green chillies I had just run out. Boy! That was something. So instead of making a pickles with more chilli powder and spices, decided to do a chutney instead. So here comes the Habanero chutney, call the fire department.

Well I also did something very stupid.I decided to discard the seeds and ribs of the Habaneros. Despite knowing how nasty this fellow can get, I did it with my bare hands. Needless to say, my palms were burning for a long time. Tried every possible thing in the kitchen and bathroom closets, but the fiery fellow persisted. Some one told me to rub my hands with some alcohol. It seemed to have worked. So beware, never use bare hands to work on these little fire bombs.

Honey dumped a ladleful of this chutney thinking it was Pumpkin Palya! He did think it was not all that wise of him to do that.

We will need,

Habaneros 4-6 chopped (seeds discared)
Pineapple chopped 1 cup
Kopra 1/4 cup
Peanut oil `/4 cup
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp
Hing a dash
Curry leaves a handful
Jaggery 2 tbsp crushed (a little more or less depending on preference)
Salt to taste

Method:

• Chop the Habaneors and discard the seeds and the veins. Reserve
• Toast the Kopra and pound it into a fine powder.
• Heat oil in a thick bottom pan. Throw in the mustard, jeera and hing. Once the spluttering stops, throw in the curry leaves. Toss in the chopped chillies, saute for a few minutes.
• Toss in the pineapple along with their juices. Saute for a few minutes and then throw in the Kopra.
• Give it a stir. Add salt and jaggery. Add a little water if the mixture is dry. Cook till the pineapples are tender and the dish comes together.
• Serve as a part of any meal. Goes well with rice, rasam and Mosaranna (curd rice)

 

Mango Tokku Mavinakayi tokku

We as a culture hate wasting.  Though a land of abundance, India has always emphasized a frugal lifestyle. We almost never waste anything. Food being equal to the Goddess Annapoorneshwari is never wasted at all. That is how I grew up. My mother never cooks food in huge quantities, she never wastes anything. I was like her while growing up. But of late the culture of my adopted homeland is getting the better of me. Still I make an effort to not through away food especially  the Produce. I might throw away a musty croissant with great impunity while try an salvage most of a rotting apple. I have stopped buying a lot of produce and stuffing it in my fridge. While the same is not true for prepared foods. There are times when I pick a huge pack of croissants from Costco or some cupcakes from our super market. Many a times such things end up in the garbage.
There are such ingenious ways of making the most of what we have, Typically during the summers when we start the pickle 'factory', we fetch good tart mangoes in huge quantities. Most of the fleshy parts of the mango goes into the Mango pickles- uppinakayi, the ones stuck to the seed in the core is grated and converted to either Tokku or use up in Chitranna . The seed itself goes into a curry. The entire fruit is used up with minimal wastage. Same with a messy fruit like Jackfruit. We use up the seeds, the fleshy parts and more.
This last batch of Mango pickles, made specially for my Fil, who happened to love my Mango pickles, I dished up some Tokku as well.

We will need,

Raw mango grated 2 cups
Fenugreek seeds 1/4 tsp
Peanut oil 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Hing a generous dash
Dried red chillies 3-4 (Byadagi variety preferred)
Curry leaves a handful
Chilli powder 1-2 tsp (adjust according to taste)
Turmeric 1/4 tsp 
Jaggery 1 tbsp (crushed, lightly packed)
Salt to taste

Method:

• On a hot skillet, toast the fenugreek seeds till fragrant, remove from heat and cool. Once cool enough to handle, pound it into a powder. Reserve.
• Heat oil in a thick bottom pot. Throw in the mustard, hing, dried red chillies and curry leaves.
• Once they stop spluttering,throw in the grated mangoes. Saute the mangoes till they are no longer raw.
• Throw in the remaining ingredients and simmer till the oil separates, the spices fragrant  and the mango tender about 15-20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow it to cool. Once it is back to room temperature, the mixture can be filled in glass containers and it stays good for at least a couple months in the refrigerator. 

Pesto chutney pasta and Miracle berry

It has been a crazy few weeks. After weaning Sunny boy I had/have postpartum depression issues. As if it is not enough, my weight seem to go haywire! I had never had a problem with my weight. Not that I was ever skinny, I love food, and I have good fitness levels and my weight has always been constant. But now I feel pressured to act.I do not believe in crash dieting and things that can prove to be problematic in the long run. But I have decided to to stick to two simple things. Number one- go sugar free, as strictly as possible. Then the second one, go for a drink of water when ever the craving to eat something strikes. A compulsive grazer that I am, I am always foraging the refrigerator or the pantry.So to get away from the habit, I am going to drink water when ever I feel like eating something. Rest of my diet is going to remain the same. Honey did loose a few pounds when he started on the sugar free diet. But he quickly exited the diet as well. I need to see how long I can stick to it. Hope to see encouraging results in the next few weeks.

We also had a tasting party the other day for Miracle Berry.It was indeed a unique experience. It is a berry that is native to Africa. The mberry version of it process the berry into tablet form and then the taster places the tablet on the tongue and allow the tablet to melt before consuming food.
We tried a bunch of things lemon, strawberry, cheese, pineapple, bitter gourd, hot chillies.Wow! it was a great experience. The tablet itself tasted like a berry. Loved it. But the surprising factor was the lemon. Lemon tasted like orange just as sweet, may be sweeter. Strawberry tasted wildly sweet. Everything tasted sweet. The chillies tasted sweet with just a hint of pungency and then the bitter gourd started sort of  mildly  bitter but then end flatly sweet. Cheese was not salty at all. We ended up wondering what it was all about. Boy how could this happen. I do not think I am going to miss sugar at all.

Coming back to the pasta, a generous bunch of basil was one of my finds the other week at the pick-your-own-farm. After the usual Caprese salad I still had way more basil than I could think of finishing, so here comes Pesto chutney yet another  Kannadised creation in my kitchen.

For the Pesto

Fresh Basil leaves 2 cups packed
Almonds toasted 2 tbsp
Tamarind 1" piece
Garlic 1 clove
Green chillies 2
Extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp

Salt & black pepper to taste

For the pasta
Pasta (any shape but I used whole wheat Rotini) 2 cups
Zucchini 1
Grape tomatoes 1 pint
Mushrooms 4-5 medium
Extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp
Parmesan cheese grated 2tbsp

Method:

• Combine everything under the pesto and blend it in a food processor. Add a little water to get the mixture going. Once the mixture is smooth and well combined the pesto is ready. Remove it into a glass jar and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. 
• For the pasta, heat oil in a sauce pan. Throw in the chopped mushrooms. After about 3-4 minutes, throw in the chopped zucchini. Saute till the vegetables are crisp tender. Throw the tomatoes in at the  last minute and turn off the heat.
• Cook pasta according to the package instruction. Once the pasta is drained, toss it with the vegetables and about 3-4 tbsp of the pesto. 
• Mix everything together and stir in the cheese. Add more pesto if the mixture lacks punch. Add a little bit of the pasta-cooking water if the mixture is too dry.
• Serve immediately.

Apple Tokku

It has been a benign winter till now. I guess we have earned it by going though the very eventful 2011 weather-wise, first the 'Snowmegadon', then 'Irene' then the scorching summer in between, of course the autumn snow fall that ruined my sunny boy's big day.Still there are cold days in between, that begs for food that warms you from within, things like hot rice, ghee and Tokku like Mango, Tamarind Tokku or may be the more season appropriate Apple Tokku..
Granny Smith apples are quite tart and they hold up to the cooking as well. I have never tried any other variety. The ones that I used was just not tart enough so I ended up using a little bit of Tamarind as well.

We will need,

Granny Smith Apples 2
Fenugreek seeds 1/4 tsp
Peanut oil 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Jeera  1/4 tsp
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Hing a dash
Red chilli powder 2 tsp (adjust according to taste)
Tamarind extract 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Jaggery 1 tbsp ( or less depending on taste)

Method

• Wash the apples and wipe it dry. Grate it over a box grater and set it aside for a minute.
• Heat a skillet toast the fenugreek seeds and once fragrant remove it on a cool plate, set it aside.
• Pour the oil into the skillet. Throw in the mustard seeds, Jeera, turmeric and hing in quick succession.
• Add the grated apples and cook on medium heat for a few minutes till the apples slight change in color.
• Crush the fenugreek seeds using a rolling pin, and throw it into the skillet with the apples. 
• Stir in the chilli powder, tamarind extract and Jaggery. Cook till the apples are soft and the mixture resembles a thick jam in consistency.
• Adjust salt and mix well. Remove from heat. Stores well in the refrigerator for a week.

Coconut Chutney

Coconut chutney is the staple chutney amongst us Kannadigas. We probably eat a tonne or so of this chutney every year! Well obviously, we are people who have at least one to two coconut trees in the backyard and we make the best use of our resources. Therefore there are not many dishes which does not call for coconut. The recent 'eat-healthy' trend has damped our love for coconut a bit, but mine is coming back with vengeance!! I heart coconut.. Cannola oil lobby 'go to hell'.

Typically this chutney is served at breakfast with Idlis, Dose, Chapati, Rotti and every other bread imaginable. Coconut is cracked open, the flesh grated and then combined with other spices and ground in a huge mortar-pestle we call "Rubbo Gundu" the stone grinder. The resulting goodness is heavenly in texture, perfectly combined, neither too rough, not too smooth, and it does not bleed water. That kind of perfect consistency is not achievable in a blender, mixie. The heat for the motor generally causes the essential oils in the spices and coconut to breakdown and therefore the resulting chutney is way inferior to the stone ground version. But modern convince is something, not many apartments in Bangalore has a stone grinder anyway. 

 

The best chutney I ever had is one the we regularly ate at Kyatsandra, near Tumkur on NH 4. Unlike the regular Darshinis, Idlis here are served with Chutney and Saagu not thechutney-sambar combo. These Idlis there are super soft, and chutney is so heavenly that we will not miss the sambar at all. During my growing up years, Kyatsandra a small town near Tumkur in Karnataka (Now grown into a suburb of Tumkur) is known for the famous Siddaganga Mutt and his holiness Sri Shivakumara Swamy and of course the Idlis... 

We will need,

Green Chillies 10

Curry Leaves 25

Coconut 1/2

Roasted Channa 3 tbsp

Tamarind (size of a chickpea)

Coriander 1/4 cup

Garlic clove 1 small

Salt

Method

• Heat a heavy skillet. Roast the chillies on the hot dry skillet till blisters appears. Remove and set it aside.
• Throw curry leaves into the skillet and toast till fragrant about 30 seconds or so. 
• Combine all the ingredients with little water in a blender / mixie and grind till it resemble coarse.
• Serve it with hot Idlies, Dose or a bread of your choice.

Summer Squash Chutney

Continuing with the season's best.. Summer Squash

We will need,

Summer Squash  1 lb cleaned and chopped into chunks
Garlic  2-3 cloves
Chillies (red/ green) 4-5 (adjust according to taste)
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - size of two peas
Coriander a generous handful (optional)
Black pepper  1/4 tsp
Peanut oil  3 tbsp
Mustard seeds a generous pinch
Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a Kadai. Throw in the mustard seeds, cumin followed by the chillies.
• Once the chillies stop sizzling add the squash, pepper,tamarind and garlic.
• Saute till the squash is tender and garlic is mellow. Remove from fire, let it cool.
• Once cool, combine the rest of the ingredients and pulse in a food processor to desired consistency. I like my chutney a little chunky! Serve with hot rice and ghee.

Tomato Kayi Chutney / Green Tomato Chutney

I cannot get enough of summer. Love the fresh vegetables that comes with it. Yesterday we got some as fresh as it could possibly get. We went to a pick your own farms and got a carton load of vegetables and we are loving every bit of it.  After a long time I chanced upon raw tomatoes. I started drooling right then and there thinking of this chutney. I pulled a few right off the vine. Although the hostess did not seem take it kindly, I was not thinking of anything else but this chutney.
We also managed to find from 'Eringere aka Mysore' Eggplant/ Badanekayi.. So it is going to be Vangibhat festival later today :) For now it is just the chutney

We will need,

Raw /Green Tomatoes  4 medium
Green Chillies         about     3
Dried red chillies (Byadagi) 3
Garlic  4 cloves
Pepper corns 1/2 tsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp
Mustard 1/4 tsp
Expeller pressed Peanut oil  4-5 tbsp (or more if you like)
Salt to taste
Tamarind (if needed)
Jaggery a small piece

Method:

• Wash and wipe the tomatoes clean. Dice them into big chunks. Taste the tomatoes, if they are tart enough do not add the tamarind.
• Heat oil in a wok. Throw in the mustard and jeera. Once they stop crackling throw in the rest of the ingredient except Jaggery and cover and cook till the tomatoes are mushy and cooked. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
• Once the mixture is cool, transfer it to a food processor, add the jaggery and adjust salt. Process till the mixture is smooth. Serve with hot rice or Ragi Mudde.

Soppina Chutney / Mixed greens Chutney

There are days when I do not want to use either the pressure cooker or our staple Toor Dal. Especially summers means an inherent preference for something light. On such days I go for dishes like Chutneys and Mosaru Shale. It does not need long hours in front of the stove. For Soppina Chutney, assorted greens can be used including Spinach, red spinach, Sorrel, Basale etc. Zucchini or Ridge gourd gives this chutney some texture and body.

We will need,
Spinach 1 lb (washed)
Sorrel, Basale, red Spinach etc  1 lb (washed)
Ridge Gourd or Zucchini   1 large (washed & roughly diced)
Onion   1 medium diced
Garlic 4-5 cloves
Green Chillies 5-8 (adjust according to taste)
Salt to taste
Peanut oil  3-4 tbsp
Lemon juice (optional)

Method:

• Heat half a  tbsp of oil in a thick bottom Kadai. Throw in the diced onion, garlic and green chillies. Toast it till the vegetables are golden in colour, about 10 minutes. Remove and set it aside.
• In the same Kadai, heat the remaining oil and throw in all greens and the ridge gourd/ zucchini. Cover and cook till the greens are wilted and the ridge gourd/ zuccchini is cooked, about 20 minutes.
• Allow the mixture too cool. Once cooled, transfer the mixture along with the toasted onions, garlic and green chillies to a food processor and pulse till the mixture comes together but still is chunky.
• Adjust salt and lemon juice if desired.Serve with hot rice and ghee.

Peanut Chutney

Though it is not quite a native species groundnuts aka peanuts have been something my ancestors relished!! It has a cultivation history of least 150 years in the old Mysore region. Primarily an oil seed, it was also converted into favorite condiment like chutney.

In my kitchen, it is the most accepted and adored Chutney. We like its versatility, taste and the ease with which it ends on the dining table. We eat it with Idli, dosa, Akki rotti, Ragi rotti and plain rice...Could it be better? try it with bread!

They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. If it my Father-in-law's heart, it is through Peanut Chutney..I discovered it very early on. When ever MIL was out of town and I had an opportunity to cook I would ask FIL about his lunch preference. He did say 'Kadalebeeja Chutney madbudamma' / Please repare some peanut chutney'... It happened a few times to make me feel that he was just being considerate and did not want me to dish out elaborate meals. Considerate he was, but MIL later told me it was his preference as well! So folks, try this one and let me know..

We will need,

Peanuts/ Groundnuts      1/2 Cup
Red Chillies                   4-5 ( Byadigi ) Adjust according to taste
Garlic                            1 small clove
Tamarind                       1/2"strip
Curry leaves                   a handful
Coriander fresh               a handful
Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat a skillet. Toast the peanuts till fragrant about 5-8 minutes. Remove and set it aside to cool.
• In the same skillet, toast the red chillies for about 3-4 minutes till fragrant, remove and cool.
• Turn off the skillet and throw in the curry leaves. Toast it on the hot skillet. Remove and cool.
• Combine all the toasted ingredients and the rest of the ingredients in a blender, add a little water and pulse till almost smooth. 
• Remove and serve it with Idlis, rice...

See/ Sweet Chutney

Idlis are traditionally served with savory chutney, peanut, coconut etc. But we also relish it with sweet coconut chutney. It is my grand mother's specialty. My grand father is a very big fan of this chutney, so am I. It is pretty easy to whip up and makes a breakfast hearty and festive.

We will need,

Roasted Channa Dal / Kadale Pappu    1/4 Cup
Shredded Coconut                                1 Cup
Jaggery                                                  1/2 Cup or so Adjust according to taste
Cardamon                                             1

Method :

• Combine everything in a blender with very little water and pulse till smooth. Serve with Idlis .

Bendekayi Chutney/ Okra Chutney

My love for Okras is legendary. Keep searching for new ways to eat them. Pushing mom for those forgotten recipes, came across this recipe. Mom made it after a long time and it was a super hit. I have been making it regularly these days.


We will need,

Okra/ Bendekai/ lady's finger 1 lb
Green Chillies 6 -10 adjust according to taste
Tamarind extract 1 tsp
Garlic 3 cloves
Curry leaves a handful
fresh Coriander a handful
Mustard 1/4 tsp
Peanut Oil 1 tbsp
Salt

Method:

• Clean Okras and wipe it dry, any water on them makes them a lot more slimy. Dice them and toast them on a hot skillet till the edges char. Set them aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, drop the mustard seeds, curry leaves and the crushed garlic. Once the spluttering stops, toss in slit green chillies. Saute.
• Add the okras and toss. Remove from heat.
• Once the mixture is slightly cool, pile the okra mixture and the remaining ingredients in a food processor and pulse. Better yet, pile everything into a mortar-pestle and pound it till well mixed and coarse.
• Serve with hot rice and lots of ghee.

Hesarubele Chuntey / Moong dal chutney

Moong dal is one of the oldest and most trusted foods in our part of the world. It is an approved food for new mothers, babies, senior citizens, those with weak digestion etc.  I have always loved it. One of my favorite ways to eat it is in the form of chutney. The recipe reflects the simplicity of ancient lifestyle. They needed no Microwave, no oven, nothing. They could accomplish the task of making this chutney with a simple stove and a mortar-pestle.

We will need,

Moong Dal 1/2 cup
Dried Red Chillies  5-10 Adjust according to preference
Tamarind pulp 1/2 tsp
Garlic 2 cloves
Curry Leaves 10-15
Coriander leaves a handful
Salt to taste
Coconut 2 tbsp

Method:

• Toast the dal till fragrant and golden brown in colour. Set aside.
• Toast the chillies till fragrant and set it aside. 
• Combine everything in a blender and pulse with a little water till smooth. The texture should not too fine. It goes well with Rice, Ragi mudde, Rotis.

Togaribele/ Pigeon pea Chutney

Chutneys are incredibly versatile condiment. Of course chutney assumes a different dimension in the western world. In India chutney mostly conjures up images of freshly ground, fragrant sweet-sour-spicy condiment that goes well with practically everything from breads like Roti to hot rice. In the western hemisphere Chutney instead conjures up images of bottled sugary jelly like substance that has a hint of some spice and fruit! That is how different chutney can be.
Well now for an authentic old time Kannada recipe. This is a Chutney mom seldom made because it was simply forgotten and kind of old fashioned. This is one more recipe that she had to dig out from her memory chest. Like all recipes this one too brought back some memories. Apparently my grandmother who is a fabulous cook (all grandmothers are for some reason fabulous cooks!!!) never made chutney this way. All legume chutneys like toor dal, green gram, Channa dal chutneys are poor people’s food. After all during those days, legumes and grains were the staple food of poor people. Not many could afford expensive spices or ingredients like coconut, assorted fresh vegetables and fruits. My grandmother whose father was the village headman hailed from a wealthy family and knew to cook the more elaborate dishes like sweets. But she was married to a less fortunate household and her MIL, i.e. my great grandmother taught her to eat like the unprivileged majority!!! This is what it was back then. Once the fortunes of the family improved these legume chutneys gradually took a back seat and were made occasionally. Mom tells me that when one of the children in the family, there were six of them, fell sick and recovered they were served these chutneys as the chutney tends to tickle the bland sick palate. In fact mom says they got to eat white bread only when they fell sick and prayed to fall sick so that they could get to eat white bread with coffee and subsequently legume chutney!



We will need,
Toor dal/Split Pigeon peas   1/2 C
Dried Red Chillies  5-6 (adjust according to taste, but chutney should be on the spicier side)
Tamarind                1/2 tsp (extract)         
Garlic                     1 clove
Curry Leaves          5-6
Coconut                 1 tbsp
Salt to taste


Method:

1. Toast Toor dal on a skillet till golden in colour and fragrant.
2. Toast the chillies, curry leaves on a skillet. Combine all ingredients, little water and pulse till combined but still coarse. Serve with hot rice or breads like Naan/Roti

Jeerige/Cumin Chutney

Child birth in India is probably a celebrated affair like nowhere else in the world. So many rituals, so many festivities and such joy no wonder we are the second most populous nation on this planet!!
It is also a critical period for the newborn as well as the new mother. A grueling experience for the mother, she needs to be taken care of the first few postpartum months. Back home, pregnant women go back to their maternal homes for the delivery and stay there for months where she is fed with special meals, giving elaborate oil baths and plenty of rest. It is a time of life except for the dietary restrictions.
I find the dietary restrictions rather strange. In my family, permitted foods include vegetables like carrot, beans, beetroot, Methi, dill, and rice & toor dal. No ragi, no wheat no other cereals. In my friend's family permitted foods include tomatoes, brinjal, bread, chapati and Moong Dal. In my co-sister's family it is brinjal, Cluster beans, Ridged gourd, Ivy gourd. No beans, no carrots. So postpartum or 'Banati' foods typically vary substantially. Universally accepted postpartum foods include garlic and Ghee.
My mother also tells me that folks back home have so much more to follow like having to wear warm clothing, consuming betel leaves after meals etc. All these are followed for anywhere between three to nine months postpartum. I wonder what my grandmother has to say to women here in the USA going back to work two weeks after childbirth!!!

I will be posting for a series of recipes that are specially served to new mothers in my family. I am sure there are new mothers out there who will find these recipes useful. Of course other folks can try these as well, for it is definitely worth the effort.

We will need,

Kopra/ Kobbari/ (dry coconut) 1/2 cup grated
Tili Saaru Powder 1 tsp
Garlic 4 large cloves
Jeera 1.5 tsp
Mustard 1/4 tsp
Tamarind 1/2 tsp extract
Jaggery 1/2 tsp crushed
Ghee 1 tbsp
Curry leaves 6-7
Salt to taste

Method:

• Roast kopra and Jeera separately till fragrant.
• Combine kopra, Jeera, Jaggery, tili saaru powder, tamarind and 1/2 a cup of water in a blender. Pulse till almost smooth.
  
• Add the garlic to the same blender and pulse till smooth.
  
• In a wok heat the ghee, drop the mustard seeds. Once it stops spluttering, add the the ground mixture and bring it to boil.
  
• Simmer for a 15 minutes and turn off the heat. Serve hot with rice and ghee. To make a fab meal serve it with Rasam, Rice, pickles and Papads.
  

Herekai/ Ridge Gourd Chutney

Herekai or ridged gourd is one my favorite vegetables. Though not as versatile as say the ash gourd, it is definitely something to have regularly on my shopping list. It is a vegetable which is quite popular back home. In fact i remember it growing in many a backyards just like that. So for a quick fix meal, just hop to the back yard, pluck a plumy gourd and bingo! dish out something truly comforting. It is generally considered 'sheeta' or 'cold' food therefore out of bounds for me. ( postpartum/ Bananti) Rest of my folks nevertheless enjoyed it immensely.

We will need,

Herekai/Ridged gourd 1 lb
Green Chilies 2 -4( adjust according to taste)
Dry chillies 2 (adjust according to taste)
Tamarind extract 1 tsp
Jaggery 2 tsp (crushed)
Oil 2 tbsp
Curry leaves a handful
Hing a dash
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Coriander fresh a handful
Salt

Method:

• Clean the ridged gourd. Give it a rough chop and set it aside.
• Heat oil in a wok. Throw in the mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves. Once they stop crackling throw in the chilles. Cook for a brief minute.
  
• Throw in the ridged gourd and cook covered till the vegetable is tender. Set it aside to cool.
• Once it is cool, combine it with the rest of the ingredients in a blender and pulse till the mixture is smooth.
  
• Serve hot with a dollop of ghee and rice or Mudde.
  

Moolangi/ Radish/ Daikon Chutney

It is rather not easy to get the long tender white radishes here in North America. When ever i see some, I am sure to get those! We use the radishes in curry, chutney, paratha and of course in salads. The other day I made some chutney and of course it is very tasty with hot rice and ghee.

You will need
For the chutney
Radish washed a chopped 1 cup
Roasted Channa (Hurigadale/kalade poppu) 1/4 cup
Dry red chillies 3 (more if you need it spicy)
fresh Coriander a handful
Tamarind Paste 1/2 tsp
Jeera 1/4 tsp
Coconut 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Tempering:
Oil 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Hing a dash
Curry leaves 4-5

Method

• Roast the red chillies in a tawa for two minutes till it darkens slightly.
• Combine the roasted chillies with all other ingredients listed under the chutney and about 1/4 cup of water in a blender and grind it till smooth.
• Remove the chutney in a serving dish
  
• For the tempering, heat oil, dump the mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves. Once they crackle, remove it from heat and pour it over the chutney. Serve at room temperature
  
  
  This is my entry to the Chutney dip mania hosted by Ramya.
  

Tomato Chutney

Post Diwali, my palate has been craving for something spicy. I guess that was too much of sweets during the festival. This is one such reliable dish that makes my taste buds come alive. It is simple and stays good for weeks. I have been eating it for every meal for the past four days!!!





Tomato diced 1 can (if using fresh tomatoes, use two ripe tomatoes. Cut each into half, squeeze and save the juice. Dice the halves and use both the diced tomatoes and their juice)
Dried red chillies 4
Chilly powder 2 tsp and above
Curry leaves 8-10
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Hing a pinch
Turmeric a pinch
Salt
Sugar 1 tsp
Oil 1/4 cup
Sambar powder/ huli pudi 2 tsp

Method

• Heat oil in a thick bottomed pot. Drop the mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves and red chillies. Stir for a quick minute.
  
• Drop the tomatoes. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Cover and simmer till oil floats on top making sure that the excess moisture- the steam has a little vent to escape.
  
• Once the mixture thicken to a sauce like consistency, the chutney is done.
  
• Finally check and adjust the salt and serve it with hot rice. It stays good in the refrigerator for at least a week.
  

Idli - Rawa version

Every South Indian cook's toughest exam i guess is making the perfect idli. Making the perfect one in India is not much difficult because the ambient conditions leaves the job more than half done. But in colder places, the toughest challenge is to ferment the batter just enough that it is very well aerated but not sour. I should confess it is no joke. The idli batter in my home keeps travelling around the house through out the day moving along with the sunlight from the windows, beginning with the living room in the morning and reached the kitchen by late afternoon!!! I guess that cant be avoided.
However this time, my friend who is expecting was craving for some Bengluru-style Idlis. And I really wanted to craft my best Idli. I was more than convinced that I cannot replicate the Banglore S.N/SLV/Veena coffee bar/Bramhan tiffin room/etc but tried my best shot that is it..

We will need,

Urad dal 1/2 cup

Idli rawa 1 cup

Beaten rice 2 tbsp (avalakki/poha)

Koshar Salt

Dry Yeast a pinch

Method:

• Wash the urad dal and beaten rice. Soak the urad dal and beaten rice in filtered water overnight or at least for 6-8 hours. Grind it into a smooth paste using the water its been soaking in. Make sure you use only filtered water. (Unfiltered water obstructs fermentation) 
• Mix the idli rawa into the urad dal batter. Proof the yeast in 2 tbsp warm water. Pour into the batter, add salt and mix gently. Pour the batter into a metal container big enough to accommodate the doubling of the volume of the idli batter.Sit it in a warm place till the batter double. Or Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Turn off the heat and leave the batter in the oven. Also the batter can be kept near the heater grates where the temperatures are generally higher.
• Once the batter has doubled in volume, it is ready to go.
• Grease the idli stand/plates and pour a few table spoons of batter in each of the moulds. 
• Heat a idli cooker or a normal cooker with an inch water in it. Place the idli stand in the cooker and close. Steam for 7-10 minutes. 
• To check if the idli is done. If you touch the idli with your wet finger then it should not stick.

This is the best I could manage!!!