12) COCONUT CHUTNEY

COCONUT CHUTNEY
A SIMPLE DIPPING CURRY

Ingredients:

     1)    Medium tender coconut – ½

     2)    Hot green chili – 1 No. (If medium hot, 2 Nos.)

     3)    Tender ginger – 1 inch piece

     4)    Curry leaves – 3 sprigs

     5)    Kashmiri dry red chili – 2 Nos.

     6)    Coconut oil – 1 table spoon

     7)    Mustard seeds – 1 tea spoon

     8)    Urud dal (shelled black gram lentils) – 1 tea spoon

     9)    Lime or lemon juice – 5 ml. (Optional)

     10)     Salt to taste

To Cook:

          Grate the coconut. Peel and chop the ginger finely. Put the grated coconut, ginger and green chili into the mixer grinder. Pluck the curry leaves from 2 of the sprigs and add. Grind to fine paste.

          If you prefer dry chutney, there is no need to add water. If you love gravy chutney, pour in 150 ml. water before grinding. Transfer to bowl.

          Pour 1 table spoon of coconut oil in a small pan and set on the stove on low heat. Tip in the mustard seeds. As soon as they start to finish spluttering, throw in the urud dal (black gram lentils). When the dal turns golden brown, put in the Kashmiri chili and the remaining leaves from the third sprig of curry leaves.

          Turn off the stove and quickly add the contents of the pan to the coconut paste. Add the lemon juice (Optional) and stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required.

          You can enjoy coconut chutney as a welcome accompaniment to idlis, dosas and uthappams (recipes given separately).

Coconut chutney with dosa