I always wanted to try chutneys with plums. This time I picked up a bag of plums all geared up to try chutney with it. I made it exactly like I would make tomato thokku and it tasted soo good that I was glad that I made it.
Ingredients
- Plums – 5 (de-seeded and chopped finely)
- Onion (red)- 1 ( chopped)
- Green chili – 3 (slit)
- Garlic- 2 (minced)
- Fenugreek seeds- ½ teaspoon
- Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Chili powder – ½ teaspoon
- Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
- Jaggery / raw sugar – 1 teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil/ sesame oil- 3 tablespoons
Directions
1. Set a pan. Add oil. Once hot splutter fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Add green chilies, garlic and onions. Cook until onions turn translucent.
2. Add chopped plums and stir fry for a minute and close the lid. Simmer the stove to medium low. After 7 to 8 minutes, the juice would have oozed out from the plums and the plums would be soft and mushy.
3. Now add chili powder, turmeric powder, jaggery and salt. Let the chutney cook for 5 more minutes until the excess water evaporates and is thickened.
4. Switch off and serve with idli, dosa or rice.
Notes
1. Fenugreek seeds are essential as it balances the sour taste of plums.
2. This chutney can be used as a spread for breads too and works as a good replacement for tamarind sauce in pani poori.
Eggplants are available all round the year. This time when I saw fresh green Thai eggplants I knew instantly what I was going to do with them. Here is my version of eggplant chutney.
Ingredients
- Eggplants (small sized) – 6 to 7
- Fresh coconut – ¼ cup (grated)
- Tomato- 1 (chopped)
- Dry red chili – 3 to 4
- Onion – 1 (medium sized- chopped)
- Asafoetida powder- ½ teaspoon
- urad dhal – 1 teaspoon
- Channa dhal – 1 teaspoon
- Tamarind paste- ¼ teaspoon (a small marble sized regular tamarind can be used in place of tamarind paste)
- Salt – 1 teaspoon
- Canola oil- 4 tablespoons (divided)
Directions
1. Cut the eggplants into chunks and immerse them in a bowl of water ( this helps eggplants not to discolor)
2. Set a pan and add 3 tablespoons of oil and stir fry until eggplants become soft. Transfer eggplants to a bowl and set aside.
3. In the same pan heat another tablespoon of oil and heat over medium heat. When oil is not smoking add red chili, fry for 20 seconds and remove from heat. Add channa dhal, urad dhal and fry until they become golden brown.
4. Add onion, tomato and stir fry for 3 to 5 minutes. Add asafetida and mix well. Stir in grated coconut and switch off the stove. Let them cool.
5. Once cooled place the ingredients (coconut, onions, tomato, dhal, fried chili) from pan in blender with tamarind paste and grind coarsely. Add very little water to facilitate grinding. Once the ingredients are coarsely ground add fried eggplants with salt until eggplants are coarsely ground.
This chutney can be served as an accompaniment with idli, dosa, rice and chappati.
Also serves as a dip with raw veggies, crackers, and chips.
A good spread for bread
The first ever dish I learnt to cook as a teenager was this tomato gravy. Needless to say, it is very easy to prepare and is well paired with idli, dosa, chapatti, rice and is also perfect as spread for bread.
Ingredients
- Tomatoes – 5 (chopped finely)
- Red onion – 1 (large sized- chopped)
- Garlic pods – 4 (chopped)
- Chili powder – 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder- ¼ teaspoon
- Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon
- Urad dhal – 1 teaspoon
- Red chili – 2
- Oil – 3 tablespoons
- Salt to taste
Directions
1. Set a pan. Add oil, once hot splutter mustard seeds and urad dhal. Add red chili, and stir in chopped garlic. Stir fry for 30 seconds until garlic gives off nice aroma. Stir in onions and red chili. Sauté those until onions become translucent.
2. Stir in chopped tomatoes and bring the flame down. Stir in chili and turmeric powder. Cover with lid. The juices of the tomatoes would have oozed out. Bring the flame to medium high and cook until tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
3. Stir occasionally and remove the lid. Cook until the juice evaporates and the gravy thickens.
4. Switch off the flame. Garnish with cilantro.
