Zucchini Raita/Chutney

Ingredients:

Zucchini - 1 large
Yogurt - 2 cups
Cumin Powder - 1/3 to 1/2 tsp
Freshly Ground Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp or according to taste

Procedure:

• Grate the zucchini using a fine grater or a lemon zester into a bowl.  I prefer a lemon zester because the consistency of fine texture of zucchini, almost feels like it is pureed.  
• To the grated zucchini add cumin powder, ground pepper and salt.  Mix them together.  
• To this mixture add the yogurt and stir well till they all are combined together.  The raita is ready.

You can make it 4 or 5 hours ahead.  If you make it ahead or if you like it chilled, you can refrigerate the raita till you are ready to serve.  It's a great accompaniment to roti, paratha, naan, rice pilaf, biryani or any spicy curry because of it's cooling effect.

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Phalli Pacchadi ( Groundnut Chutney )

Ingredients:

Groundnuts - 1 cup
Chana dal - 1/4 cup
Tamarind - 1/2" ball
Curry leaves - a handful
Green chili - 2
Red chili (dry) - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Ghee (clarified butter) - 1 tsp
Salt to taste.

Procedure:

• Soak tamarind in a cup of hot water for 15 minutes. Remove seeds if present.
• Add 1 tsp oil to a flat bottomed pan on medium heat.
• Roast groundnuts, chana dal and curry leaves lightly (about 5 minutes).
• Grind together roasted groundnuts, chana dal, curry leaves, tamarind, green chili, cumin seeds and salt to smooth chutney with little water.
• Season with mustard seeds, couple of curry leaves and red chili in a spoonful of ghee.

It's ready to be served. Goes well with Idlis.

Tip: You can use 1 cup grated green mango or grated green apple in place of tamarind.

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Baingan Bharta ( Roasted Eggplant Chutney )

Ingredients:

Large Eggplant - 1
Tomatoes - 2 to 3
Onion ( finely chopped) - 1 medium
Ginger (grated) - 1" piece
Cilantro (finely chopped) - 1/2 cup

Cumin - 1tsp
Cloves - 3
Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon stick - 1"
Red Chili - 1
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste.

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit.
• Cut eggplant in half lengthwise and tomatoes into thin slices as shown.
• Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt on both sides of eggplant and place cut side down in a baking dish.
• Place sliced tomatoes in a separate baking dish and drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt.
• Bake the eggplant in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Now place cut tomatoes in the oven, along side eggplant and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove both eggplant and tomatoes from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
• Now scrape off the eggplant and remove the peel. Set it aside.
• Add 1 tbsp of oil in a thick bottomed pan on medium heat.
• When the oil is hot add cumin, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and chopped onion.
• When the onion is translucent about 3 minutes, add grated ginger, red chili cut into pieces and turmeric. Cook for a minute.
• Next add scraped eggplant, tomatoes, cilantro and salt. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
• It is ready to be served.

Tip: Baking the eggplant makes this dish so much easier to prepare as opposed to roasting on stove top, which is a lot messier.

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Ugadi Pacchadi ( Ugadi Chutney )

Ingredients:

Raw Mango - 1
Ripe Banana (optional) - 1
Jaggery (1" pieces) - 3
Neem Flowers - a few
Tamarind - 1" ball
Pepper Powder - a pinch

Procedure:

• Soak Tamarind in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes and extract its juice.
• In the meantime cut mango and banana into small even pieces as shown.



• Pick out few neem flowers and set them aside. Grate the jaggery.
• Mix together mango pieces, banana pieces, grated jaggery, neem flowers, tamarind juice and pepper powder in a bowl. Ugadi pacchadi is ready.
  
  

Happy Ugadi Everyone!

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Plantain Stem Chutney

Ingredients:

Plantain Stem(take only middle part of the stem cut into 1" cubes) - 1 cup
Yogurt(curds) - 1 cup
Cilantro(chopped)- 1 cup
Ginger(grated)- 1" piece
Green Chili (medium) - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste.
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Red chili - 1
Curry leaves - a few
Ghee or oil for seasoning -1 tsp

Procedure:

• In a blender add the first seven ingredients and grind to a smooth paste.
• Add 1 tsp of ghee to a small tava on medium heat.
• Next add mustard, urad dal, red chili cut into 2 pieces and curry leaves.
• As the mustard begins to sputter, turn off the heat and add it to the ground chutney.

Its ready to be served. Goes well with dosa, idli and as a dip for pakoras.

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Pistachio Chutney (Pista Pachadi)

Ingredients:

Pistachios (shelled) - 1 cup
Carrot (grated) - 1 cup
Tomato (cut pieces) - 1 cup
Coconut milk - 2 Tbsp
Red chili - 2
Cumin (Zeera) - 2 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 3 to 4
Raisins - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts(roasted) - 1/2 cup
Salt per taste.

Procedure:

• Add 1 Tbsp ghee to a pan on medium heat.
• Add 1 tsp cumin, cut tomatoes, salt and cook covered for 4 to 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Keep it aside.
• In a blender add pistachios, carrots, raisins, cashew nuts, coconut milk, 1 red chili along with the cooked tomatoes.
• Add 2 cups water and grind into smooth paste.
• Season with mustard, curry leaves, cumin and a red chili.

This chutney is ready to be served.

Note: If using salted pistachios use very little salt.

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Green Apple Chutney

Ingredients:

Green Apples - 3 medium
Fresh coconut (grated) - 1/2 cup
Cilantro (chopped) - 1 cup
Ginger - 1" piece
Green chilies - 1 or 2
Cumin seeds (Zeera) - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 6 to 8
Red chilies - 2

Procedure:

• In the blender add green apple cut into pieces, grated coconut, grated ginger, cilantro, green chilies and salt to taste.
• Blend all the above ingredients into a smooth paste with half a cup of water.
• On low heat add 2 tsp olive oil in a pan. When the oil is hot add mustard, urad dal, cumin seeds, curry leaves and red chilies. After a minute turn off the heat.
• Add the above seasoning to ground chutney and mix well. Chutney is ready to eat.
  

Goes well with samosas, pakoras, bhajiyas or even chips.

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Paani Puri - Paani and Chutney

Ingredients:

Tamarind - size of a small lemon
Panipuri Masala - 2 tsp
Meethi Chutney - 3 spoons
Green Chutney - 3 tsp
Juice of one lemon (optional)
Salt to taste

Meethi chutney (sweet chutney):

Dates(pitted) - 1/2 cup
Raisins - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Tamarind - half the size of small lemon
Red chili - 2 to 3
Jaggery - size of a small lemon
Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Blend all the ingredients to a smooth paste with little water.

Green chutney:

Cilantro 1 cup
Mint. 1 & 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds. 2 tsp
Green chilies 3 to 4
Juice of one lemon
Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Blend all the ingredients to a smooth paste with little water.

Paani:

• Soak tamarind in hot water for a while.
• Add 3 cups of water and extract the juice. Strain the juice in a bowl.
• Add all the remaining ingredients. Mix well.

Click here for the recipe to make the puris.

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Ginger Chutney (Allam Pacchadi)

Ingredients:

Ginger (grated) - 2 cups
Jaggery (grated) - 1 cup
Curry leaves - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - 1 lemon sized ball
Red chilies - 4 to 5
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
Methi (Fenugreek seeds) - 2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Sesame oil - 1 cup

Procedure:

• In a pan add 1/2 cup of oil on medium heat. To this add 1tsp mustard seeds, methi seeds, 4 red chilies and curry leaves (save 4 or 5 leaves for seasoning) and roast for just couple of minutes.
• In a blender grind together ginger, jaggery, tamarind (soaked in a cup of warm water), salt to taste and the above roasted ingredients with 1/4 cup sesame oil. Make it into a smooth paste. Set it aside.
• In a pan add 1/4 cup sesame oil on medium heat. When oil is hot add 1 tsp of mustard seeds and wait until they sputter. Next add urad dal, 1 red chili and curry leaves. When they turn golden brown add this to the ground ginger paste and mix well.

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Coconut Chutney (Kobbari Chutney)

Ingredients:

Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
Roasted chana dal - 1/4 cup
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Ginger - 1" piece
Tamarind (optional) - 1" piece
Red chili - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 4 to 5
Jaggery - 1'' cube
Lemon - 1/2

Procedure:

• In a blender grind together grated coconut, ginger, roasted chana dal, mint leaves, tamarind (optional) and jaggery with some water.
• Make it into a smooth paste and set it aside.
• In a small pan add 1 tsp oil (could substitute oil with ghee for a better taste) on low heat. When oil is hot add mustard seeds.
• When they sputter add cumin, urad dal, red chili and curry leaves. Leave it on low heat for a minute.
• Add this to the ground chutney. Squeeze juice from lemon. It is ready for serving.

It is a great dip for pakoras and goes well with dosas.

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Tomato Cilantro Chutney (Tomato Kottimiri Pacchadi)

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 3 large
Cilantro - 3 cups
Zeera - 2 tsp
Red chilies - 2

Procedure:

• In a pan add 2 Tbsp oil on medium heat.
• To this add zeera, red chilies, cut tomatoes, a couple of pinches of turmeric and salt to taste. Let it cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add cut cilantro to this and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Let the mixture cool a bit and grind it in a food processor. The chutney is ready.

This chutney goes very well with samosas.

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