Chutneys are integral part of Indian cuisine and it can be either sweet,spicy or even sour and sometimes a combination.It is basically blend of variety of spices with leaves ,vegetables or even fruits.Here is a simple chutney recipe which can be prepared with familiar ingredients and can be stored in refrigerator for few days.
Ingredients:
Coriander leaves,fresh,chopped 1cup(packed)
Mint/Pudina leaves 1/4 cup
Green chillies 2
Garlic cloves,peeled 4
Fresh chopped ginger 1tsp
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds 1/2tsp
Lemon juice for taste
Method:
- Take all the ingredients in a blending jar and blend it dry first,then adding little water blend to form a smooth chutney.
- transfer the blended chutney into a serving bowl
- Add lemon juice and give a stir
Note:
Increase the number of chillies to make it more spicy
Can be served with chats,dhokla,pakodas,samosa,tikkis,stuffed parathas and so on..If mixed with little curd also tastes great as a dip.
I came across this beautiful recipe by Nita Mehta from a cookbook that came as a compliment with my oven.A very easy one to prepare and be stored for few days.
Ingredients:
Apples (nice and juicy) 2nos
Sugar 1/4cup
Lemon juice 1.5tsp
Cinnamon Powder
(dalchini) 1/2tsp
Method:
- Wash,peel and grate apples.
- In a microwave safe glassbowl take the grated apples,cover with a lid and heat in micro mode for about 3 minutes on high.
- Add sugar,lime juice,cinnamon and stir with a spatula.
- Again heat in micro mode for 8 minutes uncovering the bowl(stopping the oven and stirring in between)
- Jam is ready
- Store in a clean and dry jar.
- Use as a spread with bread/toast.
Note:
Any variety of apple may be used.I have used 2 red delicious and 2 Kashmir as I have prepared it with 4 apples
The use of lime juice,sugar can be increased or decreased depending upon taste of apples and also to suit ones tastebuds.
Sambarpalli leaves as said in Konkani,country borage,mexican mint,while in kannada they call it 'dodda patra' and so on...
This is a healthy curry that can be prepared with minimal ingredients that are easily available at home.This herb is commonly used to treat cough,sore throats and cold related problems.I prepare this quite often thanks to a potted plant in my balcony.It is very easy to grow as a cutting can grow into a new plant within weeks.I suggest one and all to plant one in your garden,balcony .It comes very handy as chewing one raw leaf is also regarded very healthy.
Here goes an easy recipe that I learnt from my Mom.Kadi means a curry in Konkani that has roasted peppercorns,jeera and are seasoned mostly with garlic.There are few more to go in this pattern using brined gooseberry,dried pomegranate peels,which may sound weird but tastes delicious and are health friendly too!! :)
For more info on this herb go Here.
Ingredients:
Fresh sambarpalli leaves 6-8(washed and towel dried)
Black peppercorns 8-10
Cumin(jeera) 3/4tsp
Fresh grated coconut 1/2cup
Red chillies(roasted) 1-2
Tamarind size of a chickpea
Salt to taste
Ghee(clarified butter) 1/4tsp
For tempering:
Ghee(clarified butter)/oil 1tsp
Garlic cloves 6-7
Method:
- In a pan,on medium heat 1/4tsp ghee and roast peppercorns,once they start to pop add jeera(cumin) and roast some more
- To this add the leaves,just tearing into rough pieces with your fingers and saute till gets wilted.
- Add the fresh coconut,tamarind,salt to taste and switch off the heat
- Take the roasted ingredients into a blendig jar and blend to smooth paste adding required consistency.
- Transfer the blended paste into a soupot and add some more water to get a soupy pouring consistency(as much needed to go with rice)
- Bring this to boil and cook for 5 minutes on low heat.
- Meanwhile in a small seasoning pan heat 1tsp ghee and brown the crushed garlic,but carefully on low heat.
- Pour this into the soupot.
- Healthy and tastes yum with white/boiled red rice.
This dish is typically Konkan but not known to everyone as it was new to me as well after my marriage once when my Mother-in-law had prepared .I like the taste so much that now when there is a batch of okra from veggie shopping a dozen are set aside for this dish.It is similar to batate humman a curry made with potatoes where the flavour is of asafoetida and coconut oil and this one is an extended version as apart from potatoes even okra,tomato are added and the masala had coriander seeds and needless to say this dish is lipsmacking good!!!.I can call this as Vintage dish as my mother in law had learnt from her MIL..cool na.
Ingredients:
Lady's finger/Okra 10-12
Onion(L) 1 nos
Potato(M)boiled 1 nos
Tomato(M)1nos
Hogplum(Ambado)
Chopped 1nos
Or Bilimbi(Bimbul) 2-3nos
Tamarind extract(thick) 1/2-3/4tsp
if not using bilimbi/
hogplum)
salt to taste
For masala:
Fresh grated coconut 3/4cup
Roasted red chillies 5-6
(2 byadagi for a nice colour)
Coriander(dhania) seeds 1tsp
For seasoning:
Coconut oil 1-2tsp
Hing(asafoetida) 1/4tsp
Method:
- Wash okra and dry on a towel .
- Cut the okra into 1 inch fingers after discarding the tip ends.
- Slice the onions into thick 1 inch pieces.
- Slice tomatoes too in the same manner.
- If using hogplum/bilimbi slice into cubes or fingers.
- In a blending jar take all the ingredients mentioned in the masala,also tamarind if using and blend everything to a smooth paste adding required amount of water.
- Bring a soup pot with hogplum/bilimbi,tomatoes,onions to boil with a glass or two of water.
- Once onions are tender add the okra pieces,cubed potatoes salt to taste,and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- If the contents are slimy in texture add a little bit tamarind extract as this helps to get rid of sliminess.
- Add the masala,water as required to get the curry consistency and bring to a good boil,lowering the flame ,add hing and cook for another 5-7 minutes until rawness of the masala goes off.
- Finally add raw coconut oil give a quick stir and siwtch off the flame and cover with a lid.
- Tastes truly heaven when served with white or red boiled rice.
Note:
- There are two varieties of hogplum..one with a fibrous seed and the other one with a soft seed
- While cutting the harder one it may not be able to slice into chunks,just chip slices all around and then in a mortar using a stone it may be crushed lightly and used in the curry,it may be discarded,some like to chew it like you do with mango,but beware the seed is smaller than the one in mango..so don't gulp..
For a view on hogplum and bilimbi please go here.
Dates are a good source of dietary fiber.I had posted earlier an eggless cake made with dates.Iam presenting here the same with a slight twist in the recipe with just adding little instant coffee into the cake batter and made flower cup cakes using silicon flower cupcake moulds which I had picked up in my recent shopping.Since I had lined the muffin moulds with almond shavings and the dual look,floral on one side and regular cupcake on the other made me to repost as the appearance too strikes an appeal.The taste was better and I don't know if the appearance has something to do with this as adding instant coffee did not make any noticeable change in flavour.
I have followed the method from aayis recipes .
Ingredients:
All purpose flour(maida) 1cup
Powdered Sugar 3/4 cup
(i have decreased a bit
due to presence of dates)
Olive Oil 1/2cup
Milk 3/4cup
Seedless dates 18-20nos
Baking soda 1tsp
Vanilla essence 1/4tspAlmond shavings 2-3tbsp(to line in the muffin cups)
Instant Coffee powder 1 sachet(1 tsp apprx)
Method:
- Boil the milk along with dates(roughly chopped)for a one rolling boil.
- Switch off the flame.Cover it with a lid and rest for 2-3 hours.
- Blend dates using the soaked milk to form a smooth paste and set aside.
- Grease the muffin moulds with oil and sprinkle with almond shavings.
- Pre-heat the oven @180 Degrees C.
- Sieve the flour with baking soda for 2-3 times,set aside.
- In a mixing bowl either using electric blender or a wire whisk cream together oil and sugar.
- Then add the prepared paste,vanilla,instant coffee and beat until creamy.
- Add the sifted flour in batches and mix it using cut and fold method.
- If the batter is too tight add 1-2tbsp of water and mix gently.(I have not added)
- Pour into the prepared moulds,and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the toothpick test comes out clean.
the regular view-
This is yet another authentic version of ambat,a combination of greens with a vegetable unlike in my past previous post,jeev batane ambat with a combination of vegetable and a pulse/legume.The taste is unique but the flavour of fenugreek makes it more healthy and tasty.Similarly any other leafy greens may be combined with a vegetable(sambhar cucumber,chayote etc).Tastes best when served with white/boiled red rice and a stir fried vegetable(upkari).
Ingredients:
Methi leaves(cleaned,washed) 1cup
Onion,chopped(M) 1 nos
Chayote(S)peeled,cubed 1 nos
Tuvar daal (split pigeon peas) 1tbsp
(soak for 20 minutes)
For masala:
Fresh grated coconut 1/2cup
Jeera(cumin) 1/2tsp
Tamarind size of a peanut
Roasted red chillies 3-4
Other ingredients:
Salt to taste
Jaggery 1tsp
For seasoning:
Oil 3-4tsp
Onion(Small)
finely chopped 1nos
Method:
- In a pressure cooker take the tuvar daal,chayote chunks,onion,and methi leaves(only leaves),add a cup of water and cook for 1 whistle then lower the flame for 2 minutes.switch off
- Prepare a smooth masala with contents mentioned in the masala using required quantity of water.
- Transfer the pressure cooked contents into a soup pot,add salt,jaggery and bring to boil(if water is too much set it aside in a bowl for consistency adjustments later)
- Add the prepared masala and water(used reserved water if any)to get curry consistency and bring to a good rolling boil and lowering the flame cook for further 5-7 minutes for the rawness of masala to fade off.
- In a small seasoning pan heat oil and saute onions to golden brown and pour over the cooked curry.
- Switch off the flame.
- Serve with white/red rice.
Chayote squash-
This dish is typical with GSB's of South kanara.It is less spicy than Khoddel which is seasoned with garlic.Here again a combination of a pulse and a vegetable is made.Even sambhar cucumber,chayote squash can be used instead of potato.I have used frozen peas instead of fresh,the fresh ones tastes awesome due to the delicate natural sweet taste.During festive occasion onions may be skipped and replaced with asafoetida as flavouring agent and seasoned with mustard seeds and curry leaves.This is one of my favourite dishes.
Ingredients:
Fresh/frozen Peas 1.5cups
Potato cubes(boiled) 1/2cup
Salt to taste
Onion(fine chopped) 1/2cup
For masala:
Fresh/frozen coconut 3/4cup
Red chillies(roasted) 3 byadagi,1guntur
Tamarind size of a peanut.
For seasoning:
Oil 3tsp
Chopped onion
(from above) 2tbsp
Method:
- If using frozen peas then soak in water for 10-15 minutes,drain and then pour in a soup pot and bring to boil adding water(abt 1cup) along with chopped onion.
- Meanwhile prepare the masala with the ingredients mentioned,blend everything to to form a smooth thick paste adding required water.
- Once the peas are tender add the cubed potatoes and salt to taste,boil for 2 minutes.
- Add the prepared masala and water to get the curry consistency and bring to a rolling boil,cook on low flame for 5-10 minutes.
- In a small seasoning pan saute the onions to a nice golden colour and pour this over the (ambat) curry and boil for 30 more seconds.
- Since onions are used in this dish it becomes thick as time passes by.(before serving heat the gravy adding required water)
You may have noticed in your visits to Chinese restaurants where a tray with 2-3 kinds of sauces are placed like, red chilli garlic ,soy sauce,tomato ketchup and chillies in vinegar.This recipe is nothing but chillies in vinegar.It is an easy recipe as just involves mixing up of two main and only ingredients viz., chopped green chillies and white vinegar.Thanks to the preservative property of vinegar this can be stored for days together and used as required to suit your tastebuds.It can be used as a flavour and taste enhancer with starters,soups,rice or noodles.
Ingredients:
Green chillies,chopped 1tbsp
White Vinegar 1/2cup
Method:
- Towel dry the chillies to get rid of any traces of water.
- Combine chopped chillies and vinegar in a bowl.
- Store in a glass bottle which is absolutely clean and dry
