Mint Yogurt Chutney

 

Mint Yogurt Chutney

This Mint Yogurt Chutney blends creamy avocado, fresh herbs, and tangy yogurt for a vibrant, cooling taco topper. Its smooth texture and zesty flavor add the perfect balance to spicy fillings.

Plain yogurt - 1/2 cup

Fresh mint leaves - 1/2 cup

Fresh coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

Green chili - 1

Ripe Avocado - 1/2 cup

Lemon juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor.

2. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.

3. Taste and adjust salt, lemon juice, or chili to your preference.

4. Serve immediately or chill for enhanced flavor.

Coconut mango chutney

This is a very tasty chutney and prepared in moments in the blender.

 Ingredients

Coconut grated - 2 cups
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsps
Salt as per taste
Raw mango - 3 tbsp
Onions chopped - 2 tbsps
Green chilli - 1

Recipe

1) Blend in all the ingredients into a fine paste adding little water. Goes well with idlis.

Onion Chutney

      Exactly why is it that chopping and peeling onions makes our eyes water furiously ? Apparently during the process of slicing up these literal tear jerkers, an enzyme known as allinase and another compound called isothiocyanate get together and create a type of sulphuric vapour which gets into the eyes and irritates them.
      The word "onion” comes from the Latin "unio" meaning one or unity, because an onion grows as a single bulb. This onion Chutney goes as a great condiment with dosa, idli and uttapam. So here goes the recipe.

Ingredients

Onion big chopped - 2
Red chilli - 2
Salt as per taste
Tamarind - 1/2 lemon size
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp

Recipe

1) Blend the onions, red chili, salt and tamarind into a very fine paste with       little water.
2) Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds.
3) Once they splutter mix in the paste and cook for about 5-6 minutes in medium heat. Keep stirring occasionally.

Tips

1) Try to cook the chutney with the pan covered to avoid spluttering of the chutney.
2) If you eat onions you can get rid of onion breath by eating parsley.
3) If you need only half of an onion, use the top half. The root will stay fresh longer in the refrigerator.

Amla/Gooseberry/Nellikai Chutney

  Although about one inch in diameter,the Amla fruit has the same anti-scorbutic value as two oranges.Amla contains the highest amount of Vitamin C in natural form.It is used in Ayurveda as a heart tonic,aphrodisiac, antipyretic,anti-diabetic,cerebral and gastrointestinal toner.It raises the total protein level and helps maintaining body weight due to its richness in nutrients.Let's see a simple yet tasty chutney of Amla. 

Ingredients

Amla(Deseed and cut into small pieces) - 2 cups
Urud Dal - 2 tbsp
Salt as per taste
Red chilli(dry) - 2
Asofetida - 2 pinches
Curry leaves chopped - 3 sprigs
Oil - 1 tbsp

Recipe

1)Heat oil in a pan and add the urud dal,once they splutter add red chillis.
2)Mix in the chopped amla and cook for about 5-6 minutes.Sprinkle water if necessary.
3)Then add the curry leaves,asofetida and salt.Mix well for 2-3 minutes and switch of the stove.Allow to cool.
4)Blend nicely and serve a simple yet delicious chutney.
5)Goes well with rice,chapati,dosa.

Tips

1)Can also use the frozen Amla for this recipe.
2)Microwaving the amla for 4-5 minutes adding very little water will help cutting down some time.

Green Tomato Chutney

Green tomatoes have long been a staple of the cuisine of the Southern Untied States,they were even immortalized in Fannie Flagg's humorous book Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe and the movie it inspired. But with a little imagination, green tomatoes can be adapted to all kinds of recipes,think spicy Indian chutneys or exotic Mexican salsas.Here I am going to share a simple recipe of Tomato chutney.

Ingredients

Raw Tomato chopped - 4
Tamarind - 1/2 lemon size
Green chilli - 3-4
Onion chopped - 1/2
Salt as per taste
Roasted peanuts - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp

Recipe

1)Dry roast the peanuts in a pan and keep aside.
2)Heat oil in a pan,add in the tomatoes,onion and green chilli.Fry them nicely in medium heat till they are nicely cooked.
3)Once they are done,switch the off the stove and allow it to cool.
4)Then blend the peanuts,salt,tamarind with the cooked tomato and onion into a coarse paste.
5)Serve with rice,chapathi,dosa or make a quick sandwich with this yummy chutney.

Puli Inji / Ginger chutney / Tamarind chutney

Puli Inji is a very famous item served for Onam festival in Kerala,a state of southern India.The main ingredient in this is ginger.Ginger cultivation began in South Asia and has since spread.Ginger is used in foods for more than 4,000 years,and for medicinal purposes for more than 2,500 years.Ginger is meant to aide in digestion of fatty foods as well as helping to break down proteins and has also been linked to reducing gas.Ginger has many other health benefits too.This chutney has a sweet and sour taste and goes awesome with rice,dosa etc.This recipe is very close to my heart as this is from my Mom's kitchen.
Ingredients
Tamarind -  2 lemon size   
Ginger - 2 inches
Green chillies - 6
Sugar/Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Salt as per taste

 

Recipe

1)Peel and cut the ginger very finely.
2)Similarly cut the green chillies into very small pieces.
3)Add little water to the tamarind and take out the juice.Filter the tamarind juice.
4)Boil the ginger,green chillies and tamarind in a thick bottomed vessel till the gravy thickens.
5)Then add sugar to this.Boil the mixture nicely for about 3-4 minutes.Adjust the ingredients and consistency as per your taste before switching the stove off.
Seasoning
1)Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
2)Once they splutter add the red chillies and curry leaves.Mix the seasoning with the gravy.
Tips
1)This can be kept out for more than 2 weeks.
2)Fresh Ginger would not be wrinkly or dark.

Curcuma mangga/Mango Ginger/IngiManga/Mavadi Allam

Curcuma mangga (mango ginger) is a plant of the ginger family Zingiberaceae and is closely related to turmeric. The rhizomes are very similar to ginger but have a raw mango taste. They are used in making pickles in south India.This is the last thing I was expecting to see in an Indian Grocery store in U.S.I was first introduced to this by my husband through a debate if it is Turmeric or Ginger.From then on I loved this pachadi for it's refreshing taste and easy procedure.
Ingredients
Mango-Ginger peeled and diced into thin strips - 1 cup
Salt as per taste
Lemon juice to immerse the Mango-Ginger completely
Green Chillies finely chopped -3
Recipe
1)Add all the ingredients in a bowl.
2)Mix well and serve.

Tips
1)The more time you can soak,more the taste.
2)Goes well with curd or dal rice.

Corriander Chutney

The word corriander derives from Latin “coriandrum”.The oldest coriander fruits were discovered in the Nahal Hemar cave in Israel. They are considered to be over 8,000 years old. Some Sanskrit (Sand script) texts talk of coriander's cultivation in ancient India nearly 7,000 years ago although there are but a few plant fossils exist to back up the literature.The Chinese believe that the seeds of a coriander plant have the power to bestow immortality. The peruvians used the seeds and the leaves to flavour food and the ancient Egyptians used just the leaves in soup. In fact seeds have been found in the tombs from the 21st Egyptian Dynasty.
Coriander roots have a deeper, more intense flavor than the leaves.They are used in a variety of Asian cuisines. They are commonly used in Thai dishes, including soups and curry pastes.Fresh coriander leaves are an essenential ingredient in many Indian recipes particilarly in chutneys.Chopped coriander leaves are also used as a garnish on cooked dishes such as dal and many curries.This authentic Corriander chutney is so versatile and goes with most foods and tastes great.You can have it as a side dish,as a spread or a dip for savouries like pakoras and samosas,bread or cheese rolls,the choice is yours.
Ingredients
Corriander leaves chopped - 4-5 cups
Lemon juice from 2
oil - 1 tbsp
Urud dal - 1 tbsp
Red chilli- 1-2
Salt as per taste
Ginger - 1 inch piece

Recipe
1)Wash coriander,drain well to remove any excess moisture.
2)Heat oil in a pan,add urud dal,red chilli and ginger.Fry them for a minute.Switch of the stove and fry the corriander leaves for about 30-40 secs in the same heat.
3)Mix in all the ingredients and blend in to a fine paste.

Ripened Chilli Chutney / Pandu mirapakaya pachadi

Chillies belong to the same family as tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant. They came originally from the West Indies and quickly spread to India and Asia, then to North Africa and Spain.Pandu mirapakaya(ripened chilli)is a very famous variety grown in abundance in Palnadu region of Andhra pradesh (Guntur district and the surrounding areas).It's hot red color and it's spiciness makes it unique.This is a very tasty version of Pandu mirapakaya chutney.I have an interesting story behind this chutney.Breeze was coming in and the day was settling in,our entire day had gone in traveling.We were heading to Vaishnavi Devi temple in Katra,61 kms from Jammu with an altitude of 1,700m (5,100ft).This is the only temple in India where all three Goddesses are worshipped in the same place.It is of course a heaven on Earth experience,a must visit place. It was perfect time for a hot appetizer.My mother-in-law being a big fan of junk saw a small road side shop asked if we can have some snacks there.My father-in-law and husband reluctantly took us there and the vendor was making hot hot Paneer pakora.He served it with Pandu mirapakaya chutney.Each one of us ended having 2-3 plates and still felt we can help ourselves with more.This chutney is a perfect combo for Paneer Pakora,Baji...
Ingredients
Ripe Red chillies - 12-15
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Tamarind 1/2 Lemon size ball
Salt as per taste
Sugar - 2 tbsp

Recipe
1)Wash and wipe the peppers dry.
2)Dry roast the fenugreek seeds. Allow it to cool.
3)Dry roast the chillies till they are tender and also the tamarind for 30 secs.
4)Now transfer all the ingredients to a blender add sugar and salt,pulse to get a fine paste.

Zucchini Chutney

The word Zucchini comes from the Italian word Zucchino, meaning a small squash.The term squash comes from the Indian skutasquash meaning "green thing eaten green".They are very nutritiuos and rich in almost everything Manganese,Vitamin C,Potassium.Copper folate,Protein....In a culinary context,Zucchini is treated as a vegetable, which means it is usually cooked and presented as a savory dish or accompaniment. Botanically, however, the zucchini is an immature fruit.In Mexico, the flower of Zucchini is often used for a very popular native soup.Here i am going to share the recipe of a very delicious Zucchini chutney.

Ingredients

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Cashews - 2 tbsp

Chanadal Roasted (Dalia) -1 tbsp

Ginger chopped - 1 inch piece

Garlic chopped - 3-4 cloves

Tamarind - 1/2 lemon size

Green chillies - 4

Curry leaves -5

Tomato chopped- 1/2

Zucchini peeled and chopped - 2

Salt as per taste

For Tempering

Oil - 1 tbsp

Red chilli -2

Mustard - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Urad Dal - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves chopped - 1 sprig

Curry leaves -10

Recipe

1)Heat oil in a sauce pan,add the Mustard seeds,cumin seeds and once they splutter add Cashew nuts,chanadal and saute for about 30 secs

2)To this add ginger,garlic,tamarind,green chillies,curry leaves and fry nicely.

3)Now add the chopped tomatoes and Zuccini.Cover and cook for about 10 mins or till soft and well done(Add in little water if necessary).

4)Then mix in salt and blend this into a fine paste.

For Tempering

1)Heat oil in a pan and add Red chilli,mustard seeds, urad dal, and cumin seeds, when they splutter add curry leaves.

2)Remove from heat and add it to the zucchini mixture and then add coriander leaves.Goes well with rice,chapaties and also for sandwiches.

Tips

1)Deep frying or roasting Zucchini add up more taste to the chutney.

2)Zucchini can also be boiled separately and added to save time.

Paruppu Thuvaiyal

Paruppu Thuvaiyal is rich in protein and it's a nice combination to go with milagu kuzhambu,rasam,plain rice and ghee.This recipe was told to me by my friend Vidhya's mom nearly 10 years back.I still love this as a quick addition to my food menu.

Ingredients

Toor dal - 1 cup

Channa Dal - 1/4 cup

Asafodita - 3 pinches

Garlic - 3

Pepper - 6

Red chilli - 2-3

Salt as per taste

Recipe

1)Fry all the above ingredients without oil,and grind with little water for desired consistency.

Variation

1)You can also make Greengram dal thuvaiyal just by substituting Greengram dal for Toor dal,while the ingredients and the process remains the same.

Tip

1)You can also add a tablespoon of fresh coconut gratings while grinding.In that case you cannot store for long.

Brinjal Chutney

Brinjal chutney is a common recipe in the rural households of Andhra Pradesh.The brinjal is believed to have been domesticated in north-eastern India where wild forms still grow.
The seeds were carried to China more than 1500 years ago where small fruited types were later developed.Brinjal is rich in Vitamin A and B.India is the second largest producer of Brinjal.
Ingredients
Brinjal – 7-8 Nos
Turmeric powder – 2 pinches
Onion finely chopped – 1
Green chillies chopped – 3-4
Mustard – ½ tsp
Tamarind – Walnut size (soaked in water)
Coconut gratings – 3 tablespoon
Asafotida powder – 1 pinch
Oil – 4 tsps
Urad dhal – 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves – 4-5
Recipe
1)Cut the Bringals into medium size pieces and boil them in a pan with little water/ microwave them for 7-8 mins with little water.
2)Allow the brinjals to cool down and then grind them with coconut gratings into a coarse paste.Keep aside.
3)In a Pan,heat oil,add the mustard seeds,once they splutter add the urad dhal and asafetida.
4)To this add the chopped onion,green chillies,curry leaves,Turmeric and fry till the onion turns transparent.
5)Then mix in the brinjal paste,tamarind juice and salt.
6)Mix little water to adjust consistency and cook for few more minutes for all the spices to blend.This would take 5-6 Minutes.
7)After this switch off the stove and serve with rice or chapathi.

Variation
Apply little oil over the brinjal, hold it on thongs and grill it over the flame of the stove till the skin shrinks.Once done you can remove the skin and follow the same recipe from step 2.

Coconut Chutney

Coconut chutney is a famous  south Indian vegetarian recipe.Its effortless making and healthy attributes makes it very popular.Coconut in English as we know now, was first mentioned in English print in 1555, this word comes from the Spanish and Portuguese word coco, which means "monkey face." Spanish and Portuguese explorers found a resemblance to a monkey's face in the three round indented markings or "eyes" found at the base of the coconut.In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is known as kalpa vriksha, meaning "tree which gives all that is necessary for living," because nearly all parts of the tree can be used in some manner or another.

There have been mentions of coconut in Sanskrit literature, dating back to the 4th century BC. On the Nicobar Islands of the Indian Ocean, whole coconuts were used as currency for the purchase of goods until the early part of the twentieth century.Even today, India is the third largest producer of coconuts in the world.
This is one among the recipes i learnt from Mom as a child (6th grade)

Ingredients

Coconut - 1 cup

Green chillies - 2 small

Roasted split gram(daria dal) - 2 tablespoons

Salt as per taste

For Tempering

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Red chili - 1

Urud Dal - /4 tsp

Curry leaves - 2-3

Oil - 1 tsp

Recipe

1)Put the coconut, green chillies,roasted split gram and salt in a blender with a little water and grind to make a fine paste(Add water according to your desired consistency).Keep aside.

2)Prepare the tempering by heating the oil and adding the Urud dal, mustard seeds, red chili and curry leaves respectively and stirring till the mustard seeds crackle. Pour this tempering over the chutney and mix well.

Tips

1)You can also have the chutney without tempering.

Peanut Chutney

Chutneys are a delicious Indian condiment. The word “chutney” is actually a British term derived from the Hindi word “chatni”, meaning, “to crush”.Chutneys come in a wide range of bold and exciting flavors ranging from spicy to sweet, savory, tangy and even sour. They also vary in textures depending upon the ingredients used and their preparation. There are two main types of chutneys: fresh and preserved and they can either be wet or dry in nature.The first Indian chutneys to reach the West appeared as luxury imports in England and France during the late 1600s. They were mostly mango chutneys put up in sticky syrups and shipped in ceramic pots.Here I am going to share with you the recipe of an very easy Peanut chutney.Yes you heard me right,he is a good cook himself and my husband always says his signature dish is puliyodarai rice.To mention a few facts about peanuts,India is the second largest producer of peanuts in the world after China.Peanuts account for two-thirds of all snack nuts consumed in the USA and Americans spend almost $800 million a year on peanut butter.

Ingredients

Peanuts - 1 cup

Red chillies - 2-3

Salt as per taste

Walnut-sized ball of tamarind

Oil - 2 tsps

Recipe

1)Heat a griddle till it is hot,on a medium flame. Roast the peanuts and dry red chillies (stirring frequently) on this griddle with 2 tsps of oil till they give off a gentle cooked aroma.

2)Allow to cool completely and then grind the peanuts,chillies with salt and tamarind to a coarse paste.Add enough water so that you get the desired consistency.

Tips

1)Take care to use seedless tamarind or remove the seeds.Another option is soak the tamarind in a bowl just covered with hot water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes or till soft. Then squeeze the tamarind (while still in the water) with your fingers,to release the pulp from it. Squeeze till you get most of the pulp off and into the water. Now strain the liquid to remove pith and any seeds. Tamarind juice is now ready to use.

2)Peanut Chutney tastes especially good with Idlis (steamed South Indian rice cakes) and Dosas (crispy savory South Indian rice pancakes).

3)To check if the peanuts are done just tap them and they should break open.

Celery Chutney

Celery is valuable in weight-loss diets, where it provides low-calorie dietary fiber bulk.Celery contains vitamin C and several other active compounds that promote health, including phthalides, which may help lower cholesterol, and coumarins, that may be useful in cancer prevention.Choose celery that looks crisp and snaps easily when pulled apart. It should be relatively tight and compact and not have stalks that splay out. The leaves should be pale to bright green in color and free from yellow or brown patches.The celery that we know today was derived from wild celery. While thought to have its origins in the Mediterranean regions of northern Africa and southern Europe, it was also native to areas extending east to the Himalayas. Wild celery differed a bit from its modern day counterpart in that it featured less stalks and more leaves.This is a vey simple recipe to make with celery as the main ingredient,Celery Chutney.My husband being a very strict critic has also liked this recipe.Enjoy!!

Ingredients

Garlic - 2

Ginger - 1/2 inch

Green chillies - 2-3

Corriander leaves - 1/2 Cup

Mustard - 1 tsp

Oil - 1/4 cup

Salt as per taste

Celery Stick - 5

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 Tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 Tsp

Asafoetida (hing) powder - 1/4 tsp

Recipe

1.Heat 2 tsp of oil a wide pan.Add the chopped celery and corriander leaves.Saute for 8-10 mins.Keep aside.

2.Take another tsp oil and add methi,chopped green chillies,ginger and garlic.Keep stirring for 3-4 minutes.

3.Grind both celery with ginger and garlic mixture nicely.

4.Pour the remaining oil and add the mustard seeds.Once they splutter add the asafoetida and the turmeric powder.Then quickly add the celery paste and mix well.

5.Add salt and cook the tokku on low to medium heat till the oil leaves the sides.

6.Goes well with rice,chapaties and also for sandwiches.

Tips

1.Cut celery into small pieces to lesen the time for cooking.