Coconut Chutney | White Coconut Chutney | South Indian Thengai Chutney with Pottu Kadalai | Easy Side dish for Idly/Dosa/Uthappam/Pongal | Vella Cutney

This is one of the most versatile and easy chutney that you can ever make. You know why versatile, coz it can be paired with almost many of the South Indian tiffins/breakfast dishes like idly, dosa, uthappam, pongal, upma, vadai etc etc.. It is a simple, clean and yet another ready in a jiffy recipe :) Since it is a basic recipe I am tagging it under basics here :) Most of the households would have a variant of this chutney recipe yet some of the ingredients remain the core ;) Grind, taste, adjust and repeat.. That's how you roll when you are a beginner. After a few times you will get the hang of it. So let's see how this simple humble chutney is made..

Serves: 4 persons

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

I Used:

Grated Coconut	-	½ cup
Green Chilly	-	2 nos
Ginger	-	An inch piece
Fried Gram/Pottukadalai	-	2 tbsp
Salt	-	As Needed
Water	-	As Needed

To Temper:

Oil (Coconut/Sunflower)	-	2 tbsp
Mustard	-	½ tsp
Curry Leaves	-	2 sprigs

The Way:

1. Take the grated coconut and ginger in a mixer jar. Add little water (¼ cup) and grind them coarsely

2. Now add the green chilly, fried gram dal/pottu kadalai and salt and grind them nicely to a smooth (as smooth or coarse as you want) consistency

3. In a tadka pan, heat oil. Splutter mustard seeds

4. Then add the curry leaves. Switch off flame

5. Add the tadka to the chutney

Serve with idly, dosa, uthappam, pongal !

Notes:

• Use freshly broken & scraped coconut. The taste really differs when you use even a day old (refrigerated) coconut

• While you grate there will be some red or brown coloured scrapings as well. Avoid them for this chutney as it will affect the colour ;)

• Avoid using old coconut and also kopra

• Add water according to the consistency of the chutney that you need. I would suggest using less water while grinding. Add more if needed once you grind and transfer the chutney to a container

• For runny chutney you can add more pottu kadalai but be cautious if you do not like the taste

• Ginger is optional. Pottu kadalai is also optional. Add both or either one or none as per your liking

• Adjust the chillies as per your taste. Quantity of ingredients given are guidelines and can be adjusted to suit personal tastes

• You can use the green chillies which has become ripe and turned red in colour. They might slightly change the colour of the chutney but tastes yum

• If the chutney becomes too runny, add more grated coconut and grind

• While tempering can add a tsp of urad dal as well

Cheers,
Chitz

Red Coconut Chutney | Kerala Style Coconut Chutney with Shallots | Easy Kerala Style Coconut Chutney

An idly or dosa breakfast at my place usually means there will be a red chutney or white chutney to accompany it :) Both are coconut chutneys with the red one made with red chillies and the white one made with green chillies. Very easy to make if there is grated coconut at hand. Usually I grate the coconut the previous night or during weekends and refrigerate (You can even freeze them if you have more quantity) them. Morning first thing I take the grated coconut from fridge and keep outside. And while grinding I use slightly warm water so that it grinds easily without a slimy appearance (frozen grated coconut tends to make the chutney slimy, so better to use freshly grated ones) This makes life easier on busy mornings :) So today I will share how I make the red coconut chutney :) Other chutney recipes on the blog are Onion Tomato Kara Chutney, Ulli Sammanthi, Pudina Chutney (without coconut), Pudina Chutney with coconut, Pudina-Verkadalai Chutney

Serves: 3 persons

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 10 mins

I Used:

Grated Coconut	-	½ cup
Red Chilly	-	2-3 nos
Ginger (optional)	-	An inch piece
Shallots/Small Onions	-	2-3 nos
Salt	-	As Needed
Water	-	As Needed

To Temper:

Coconut Oil	-	2 tbsp
Mustard	-	½ tsp
Curry Leaves	-	2 sprigs

The Way:

1. Take the grated coconut, shallots, red chilly and ginger in a mixer jar along with required salt. Add little water (¼ cup)

2. Grind them nicely to a smooth (as smooth or coarse as you want) consistency

3. In a tadka pan, heat oil. Splutter mustard seeds

4. Then add the curry leaves. Switch off flame

5. Add the tadka to the chutney

Serve with idly, dosa, uthappam, pongal !

Notes:

• Use freshly broken & scraped coconut. The taste really differs when you use even a day old (refrigerated) coconut

• Avoid using old coconut and also kopra

• Add water according to the consistency of the chutney that you need. I would suggest using less water while grinding. Add more if needed once you grind and transfer the chutney to a container

• Ginger is optional

• Adjust the chillies as per your taste. Quantity of ingredients given are guidelines and can be adjusted to suit personal tastes

• If the chutney becomes too runny, add more grated coconut and grind

Cheers,
Chitz

Pudina Chutney with Coconut | Mint Chutney recipe with Coconut | Pudina Chutney for Idly/Dosa

Chutneys with mint and coriander leaves appear often in my mom's menu. I make them slightly rarely coz greens in chutney is not much accepted in my house :D But this one with coconut is a slight exception. It is an easy chutney recipe with nice flavours from the mint and also coconut is added which does not overpower the strong mint flavours (strictly for those who are not a fan ;)) So let's check out how to make this easy chutney then. 

The other chutney recipes that might interest you are 

Onion Tomato Kara Chutney

Easy Onion Chutney 

Pudina Chutney (without coconut) 

Pudina-Verkadalai Chutney
Red Coconut Chutney

Recipe Source: Ma

 

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

 

Serves : 3-4 persons

I Used:

Pudina	-	1 cup (tightly packed)
Coconut	-	½ cup
Urad Dal	-	1 tbsp
Ginger	-	1 tbsp (a 2 inch fat piece)
Green Chilly	-	3 nos
Asafoetida	-	¼ tsp
Tamarind	-	1 tsp (a small blueberry sized)
Salt	-	As Needed

The Way:

1. Separate the mint leaves from the stalk. Rinse them nicely in water so that all the mud or dirt is removed

2. In a pan heat oil. Add the urd dal, chopped ginger and green chilly and fry till the dal turns golden in colour. Keep in flame in medium low

3. Now add the mint leaves and saute. Do not keep in flame for long. They have to just get wilted

4. When they get wilted add asafoetida and tamarind and allow them to just get warm. Don't have to saute for long. Remove from flame and allow them to cool

5. Now take them in a mixie and add grated coconut and salt. Grind them smoothly by adding little water. When ground, transfer them to a bowl. You can add more water as per your required consistency. Check for salt after adding water and add more if required

6. For the tadka, heat oil in a tadka pan. Splutter mustard. Then add curry leaves and off the flame

7. Add the tadka to the chutney and serve with idly or dosa !

Notes:

• You can add red chilly instead of green chilly. Taste may vary slightly but both variations taste great

• Can omit urad dal. Then the chutney will be more smooth. Urad dal imparts a crunchy texture to the chutney

Cheers,

Chitz

Kothamalli Thogayal | Thick Coriander leaves Chutney | Kothamally Thovaiyal without coconut for Rice

Back in Chennai, I used to get coriander leaves for even as less as some 8-10 stalks. But here in Pune, it is not like that. You get to buy only a whole big bunch and that too doesn't stay great for a long time even after refrigerating. That was when my mom suggested making thogayals with them for storing them better :) Deeps is a fan of this thogayal and he loves to pair it with curd rice. And you know what I would like to pair it with.. Yes, rasam sadam :) Or simply mix it up with rice and add a little bit of sesame oil too to the rice and that too would taste yum and heavenly. And for many it doesn't actually feel like having greens as such coz the other spices does that effect to the coriander and leaves you with a yummy condiment. Not that I do not like coriander leaves, ok :) So let's see how to make this then..

Recipe Source: Ma

 

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

 

Makes : ¾ cup

I Used:

Oil	-	4 tsp
Coriander leaves	-	2 ½ cups (tightly packed)
Urad Dal	-	4 tbsp
Red Chilly	-	3 nos
Asafoetida	-	¼ tsp
Tamarind	-	½ tsp
Salt	-	As Needed

The Way:

1. Clean the coriander leaves by removing the roots and a little bit of the thick stem at the bottom. We need only the tender ones and not the thick stem. Then rinse them well in water to remove the mud and dirt. Drain them and keep aside. Use fresh leaves for making this thogayal. Avoid the yellow coloured leaves or the old ones

2. Heat the oil in a pan/kadai. Add the urad dal and red chilly and saute on a medium flame. Keep roasting them till the urad dal turns to golden colour. This should take around 3-4 minutes

3. Now add the asafoetida and give a quick stir

4. Then add the tamarind and saute for 2-3 minutes till they become soft and moist

5. Now add the cleaned coriander leaves and saute for a minute or two till the leaves wilt. Once done switch off the flame and allow them to cool

6. Once cooled, take them in a blender/mixie and add needed salt and grind them coarsely. If needed you can grind to a smooth paste. But we like them coarsely ground. Do not add water (if needed, maybe 2-3 tbsp but not more). This reduces the shelf life and changes the texture 

7. Transfer to a bowl and serve with rice and rasam or curd 

Notes:

• Use fresh coriander leaves for a tasty thogayal. Old leaves will surely compromise the taste

• This thogayal will stay good for 3-4 days if refrigerated in a clean container

• You can add coconut also to this thogayal. But would recommend to have it the same day itself

• Can add channa dal too. If adding adjust the urad dal quantity accordingly.  Would need around 4 tbsp of both the dals combined 

• Can add jaggery too if preferred. Adjust quantity to balance to the level of sweetness that you need. Would recommend around 1 tsp

Cheers,

Chitz

Ulli Sammanthi | Ulli Chammanthi | Easy Onion Chutney

 Are you a chutney person or a sambar lover when it comes to having idly and dosa? I'm definitely a sambar gal.. I have to have lots of sambar and the idly or dosa has to be nicely dunked in and soaked and made moist for me to devour.. ahh, the thought itself makes me crave for some sambar idly now :D But Deeps and my little one are more of chutney lovers. Even if sambar is there, they would need some chutney for their soul ;) So coming to today's recipe, it is a simple humble Onion chutney with the bare minimal ingredients that you can ever imagine to make a dish :D 

This chutney is a regular at my mil's place whenever idly or dosa is made. And that would be in addition to a red or white coconut chutney and sambar. I make this with big onions but if you have a stock of shallots you can make it with them too or you can make half and half of onions and shallots. And if you are conscious about using oil, then no need to saute onions. Instead directly grind them with red chilly and add coconut oil. That also tastes yum. This chutney is really a time saver recipe and can be made very fast. And if this chutney is there I really don't mind even if sambar is missing from the menu :)

The other chutney recipes that might interest you are 

Onion Tomato Kara Chutney

Pudina Chutney (without coconut) 

Pudina-Verkadalai Chutney
Mint Coconut Chutney
Red Coconut Chutney

Recipe Source: Mil

Serves: 2 persons

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

I Used:

Onion/Savala	-	2 nos (medium sized - chopped)
Red Chilly Powder	-	1.5 tsp
Salt	-	As Needed
Coconut Oil	-	2 tbsp

The Way:

1. Clean the onions and chop them. In a kadai/pan heat 1 tbsp coconut oil. Toss in the onions and add required salt and saute them

2. The onions should turn colour and become slight golden. Take care not to burn them. Now add the red chilly powder and saute for another 2-3 minutes till the raw smell goes off. Now switch off the flame

3. Allow it to cool. Once cool, grind them to a smooth (or rough depending on your preference) paste, preferably without water. If the quantity of onions is too less it will be difficult to grind, in that case add very little water 

4. Transfer the chutney to a serving bowl. Add 1 tbsp coconut oil and mix

Serve with hot idlis and dosas !

Cheers,

Chitz

Pudina Chutney | Mint Chutney without coconut

Mint Chutney with Onions and Tomatoes (No Coconut)

Do you love fresh herbs? I love them.. Their aroma spreads and fills the kitchen with a refreshing feel, right? I love their aroma and taste especially in biryanis ;) The mint and coriander leaves create a magic which transforms the taste of the biryani to a different level na? Deeps refuses to make biryani if there is no fresh herbs available at home ;) I try to include mint and coriander leaves as much as possible in my diet as they are very healthy. Mostly I make chutneys or thogayals with them. Today's recipe is a simple mint chutney with onions and tomatoes and no coconut. If you like to try other versions of mint chutney then there are 'Mint chutney with peanuts' & Mint Coconut Chutney. Try them too.

The other chutney recipes that might interest you are Onion Tomato Kara Chutney, Easy Onion Chutney & Red Coconut Chutney 

Recipe Source: Ma

Serves: 3-4 persons

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

I Used:

Mint leaves	-	2 cups (tightly packed) (or A bunch)
Onion	-	1 no (small sized - roughy chopped)
Tomato	-	1 no (small sized - roughy chopped)
Tamarind	-	½ tsp
Red Chilly	-	2 nos
Channa Dal	-	2 tbsp
Asafoetida Oil	- -	½ tsp 1 tbsp
Salt	-	As Needed

To Temper:

Oil	-	1 tbsp
Mustard	-	½ tsp
Urad Dal	-	2 tsp
Curry leaves	-	A sprig

The Way:

1. Separate the mint leaves from the stalk. Rinse them nicely in water so that all the mud or dirt is removed

2. Roughly chop the onion and tomato

3. In a pan heat oil. Add the channa dal and fry for a minute till they turn slightly golden. Now add the red chilly, tamarind and asafoetida and fry

4. Add the onions and saute till they turn slightly brown. Then add the tomatoes and fry till they turn mushy. Take care that they don't get burnt

5. Now add the mint leaves and saute. Do not keep in flame for long. They have to just get wilted. Remove from flame and allow them to cool

6. Now take them in a mixie and grind to a coarse paste. I like them coarse but if you prefer a smooth chutney then grind them to your required consistency

7. For the tadka, heat oil in a tadka pan. Splutter mustard. Add urad dal. Take care they dont get burnt

8. When they turn golden in colour add the curry leaves and off the flame. Add the tadka to the chutney and serve with idly or dosa !

Cheers,

Chitz

Onion Tomato Chutney | South Indian Vengaya Thakkali Kara Chutney for Idly & Dosa

There is no dearth of chutney recipe ideas if you have a little imagination and a sense of what taste you want to have..I should admit that I am not yet an expert in that but I am learning. When you have such foodies and excellent cooks around you, you naturally will develop that "sense". My mom, Deeps, Deeps' aunt so many people around to inspire me. I should say that I particularly envy Deeps' aunt in this regard. Her chutney making skills (read cooking skills in general :) ) have made me go nuts. Actually I have tasted more of the 'chammanthi' recipes that you have with kanji (rice gruel). But whenever I think of chutney making skills, she is who comes to my mind :)

This recipe is a simple kara (hot) chutney with onions, tomatoes and urad dal that is a perfect side for idlys and dosas. This recipe I learned from my mom. It's simple, easy to make and since spicy I do not need any extra sambar or podis for my idlys and dosas. Do try this out & let me know how you liked it !

The other chutney recipes that might interest you are 

Easy Onion Chutney 

Pudina Chutney (without coconut) 

Pudina-Verkadalai Chutney
Mint Coconut Chutney
Red Coconut Chutney

Recipe Source: Ma

Serves: 2-3 persons

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

I Used:

Oil - 2-3 tbsp Onion - 2 no - medium sized - chopped Tomato - 1 no - medium sized - chopped Urad Dal - 3 tbsp Red Chilly - 3 nos Tamarind - A small piece (blueberry sized) Garlic - 3-4 small cloves Asafoetida - 1 tsp To Temper: Oil - 1 tbsp Mustard - ½ tsp Curry leaves - 1-2 sprigs The Way: 1. In a pan heat 2 tbsp oil. Add the urad dal, red chillies, tamarind, garlic cloves and asafoetida. Roast till the urad dal turns golden in colour. Once done keep aside in a plate. 2. Now add 1 tbsp oil in the same pan. Add the chopped onions and salt and saute till they become translucent and turn slightly brown in colour. Once done keep aside. 3. Again add the chopped tomatoes in the same pan and saute till they become mushy. Once done, keep aside. 4. In a mixer, add the initially roasted urad dal mixture and grind coarsely. Add little water as well.

5. Now add the sauteed onions and grind again. 

6. Finally add the sauteed tomatoes and grind to a fine paste.

7. In a tadka pan or in the same pan, heat oil. Splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add them to the chutney and serve with piping hot idlis or dosas.

Notes:

• Sometimes urad dal that we buy will not be very clean and can be dusty. If you are paranoid like me and can feel that while eating the chutney, then rinse the urad dal before roasting them :)

Cheers,

Chitz