White Coconut Chutney

White Coconut Chutney
This Chutney is generally served in South Indian restaurants in and around Matunga, India. Just thinking about this chutney makes my mouth water. All I can think about is the soft, fluffy, warm idlis and crispy medu vadas and delicious dosas. I usually make this chutney in lieu of the tomato-onion chutney that I posted about earlier.
Recipe:
1/2 cup grated coconut ( I use the frozen variety)
16 peppercorns, use less if you need less heat
2-3 green chillies
little tamarind
salt
jaggery to taste
for tempering:
Oil
asafoetida-pinch
half sprig curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal
Procedure:
Grind all the above ingredients together. Remove in a bowl and temper with oil, hing, mustard seeds, curry leaves, urad dal. Serve with hot idlis, dosas and medu vadas.
Enjoy
Dipti!

Tomato-Onion Chutney

A gorgeous hue of red-orange:)
I am so used to eating the usual coconut-cilantro chutney, that when I first ate this chutney, I fell in love with it. Now I make it almost eveytime I make idlis and dosas. Each time I make it, I end up licking my fingers and spoon while cleaning up. Each time I make this chutney, my son knows its either idli or dosa day:)
Recipe:
1 1/2 red tomatoes
1/2 onion
5 red chillies
little tamarind soaked in water
1 tbs chana dal
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds
salt to taste
for tempering:
oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig of curry leaves
Procedure:
Shallow fry all the above ingredients till the raw smell is gone. Grind in blender without adding any water when cold. Then temper with hing, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Serve with idlis or dosas.
Dipti!

Corn and Bean Salsa

This is a very healthy and easy take on salsa. Can be served as a side, on top of or inside any mexican fare and served as a dip with chips.
Recipe:
1 cup frozen or fresh corn.
1 cup mexican black beans, tinned or freshly cooked.
1 large tomato, deseeded
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves minced garlic
1 frsh lime juice
Procedure:
Defrost the frozen corn and microwave for couple of minutes. Drain off the liquid from the beans. Mix all the ingredients together and let the flavors blend. Serve with chips or any other mexican fare.
Dipti!

Layered mexican dip

Many layered dip.
I just forgot how many layers I had made. But this is something great to do with the leftover tostada fixings. I took a glass bowl just to see how pretty everything looks. I made mine from leftovers but this would be perfect for a potluck with fresh ingredients.
Recipe:
1 can mexican black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can salsa
1 can gaucamole
1 can sour cream
1 bag shredded mexican cheese blend
olives, green onions and cilantro for topping
jalapenos if needed
Procedure:
Take a glass bowl. Divide the above ingredients into 2 parts each. Layer with black beans at the bottom, then salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, olives-cilantro-green onions and jalapenos. Repeat in layers till over. Refrigerate for atleast 1 hr. Serve chilled with tortilla chips.
Enjoy
Dipti!

Guacamole-my messy creation

My messy guacamole..

When I was carrying my baby, I used to hate this green weird concoction. To me at that time, it looked very slimy and messy and something with questionable texture. But post pregnancy, I have begun to fall in love with this good-for-you-fat guacamole. Mind you, I cannot eat avocados as it is, simply because it doesnot have any particular flavor but is quite nutty and fatty to taste.

Add this guacamole to any tacos, burrtitos or just as a dip with chips and you are in culinary heaven. My guacamole explodes in my mouth with spicy,sweet,nutty and sour flavor.

The trick is to make it 1 hr before serving to let the flavors blend in.

Recipe:

2 large ripe avaocados, peeled and mashed with fork

1 large tomato, chopped and deseeded

1 medium red or yellow onion, chopped

1 lime juice

salt to taste

2 chillies, minced and deseeded

handful chopped cilantro

2 cloves garlic, minced

procedure:

Mix all the above ingredients together. Cover the bowl and keep it in the refrigerator for 1 hr to let the flavors blend. MAke sure that you donot make a mush out of avocados otherwise it turns really gooey. Enjoy chilled or at room temperature with chips/tacos.

Dipti

Basic Salsa

Simple Tomato Salsa.

There are so many different kinds of salsas in Mexican cuisine, but still I love this very simple salsa. A few basic ingredients from your kitchen and you can fix this up in no time. Also, I find it very interesting that this salsa is very similar to Indian koshimbir(raita without yogurt). The difference being the addition of garlic and cumin powder, two greatly used ingredients in both Mexican and Indian cuisines.
Recipe:
2 tomatoes
1 onion, if you have red, great or yellow would do.
juice from 1 lime
1 tsp cumin powder
salt to taste
sugar to taste
2 serrano chillies or even thai would do., minced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
some chopped cilantro

Procedure:
Dice the tomatoes and the onion. Mix all the ingredients together. If possible, chill for 30 mins before serving to let the flavors blend. Serve with tortilla chips or on taco.
Enjoy
Dipti!!

Mint (Pudina) Chutney

Green Mint Chutney

This is a very easy and versatile mint chutney. I add a little garlic to the chutney which gives it a little different flavor. I pair my chutney with chaats like bhel puri, ragda patties and pani puri. Make it a little thick and serve it with your favorite kababs. Make it super thick and use it as a spread for sandwiches or bagels.

Recipe:
1 bunch of fresh mint, plucked, washed and chopped
1 bunch cilantro, plucked, washed and chopped
2 garlic cloves
3-4 green chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
salt to taste
jaggery to taste, or use sugar

Procedure:
Take all the ingredients and blend them to the required consistency. If serving with chaats, a little chaat masala added to it tastes great.
This chutney can be frozen for a long time in the freezer.
Enjoy
Dipti!!

Spicy Coconut and Garlic Chutney

Spicy Coconut and Garlic Chutney
This is one of the most common and versatile chutneys found in maharashtrian households. This chutney tastes best with vada pav, bhajis (fritters) or any other fried snakcs. This chutney at the same time can add spice to any boring meals. I remember eating this chutney by the spoonfuls with most of the meals when I was young. This chutney can be made in bulk and stored in an airtight container for upto 2 weeks.
Recipe:
1 cup dry dessicated coconut
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
sugar to taste
Mix all the ingredients together and dry run them through the blender, making sure that they get mixed well. Store in an airtight container for peruse.
There are various variations of this chutney. Some add ingredients like white sesame seeds or black ajwain seeds or roasted corriander seeds or even oil. Whenever I am making fresh chutney for vada pavs, I usually drizzle 1 tsp of oil in which the vadas have already been fried. It just gives it a different taste and binds up all the ingredients together.
Enjoy
Dipti

Green chutney - for idlis

The ingredients for the green chutney

Green chutney- all ready to be eaten

There are different kinds of chutneys in Indian cuisine. This is one of my favorite that I like with my idlis/dosas/meduvadas. I think I like it because this chutney is so versatile. It tastes good with anything and everything. I think my sambar and idlis/dosas turn out like my mom's, so whenever I make this chutney, its the missing piece which completes my entire ensemble and reminds me of my mom's cooking.

My mom tempers this chutney bbut many times I dont. So I guess thats the main difference.

Recipe:

1 cup chivada dal

1/4 cup grated coconut

handful chopped and washed cilantro 3-4 green chillies, chopped

1 sprig curry leaves

1 tsp cumin seeds and little more

salt to taste

1 tsp jaggery or sugar

water for blending

Preparation:

Mix all the ingredients in a blender and blend well adding water little at a time. adjust according to the consistency. The chutney should taste little spicy with hint of sweetness because of jaggery. For additional drama and flavor temper with 2 tsp oil, pinch of asafoetida and 1 tsp mustard seeds.

Enjoy with idlis/dosas/medu vadas. This chutney doesnot keep well in the fridge for more than 2-3 days because of coconut and tastes best when fresh.

Dipti