With a dollop of chutney

Add some zest to your meals with spicy chutneys

Minty mango chutney

Ingredients: Two cups of mint leaves; ½ cup of coriander leaves; 1 tbsp of mango gratings; 1 tbsp of roasted Bengal gram dal; 1 cup of coconut gratings; 1 green chilli; a pinch of asafoetida; salt to taste; 1 tbsp of sugar. For seasoning, 1 tsp of oil; ½ tsp of mustard seeds and 2 red chillies.
Method: Grind all the ingredients together into a coarse paste. Adjust consistency using sufficient water. Add a tempering of ingredients mentioned for seasoning the chutney. You can serve this with rice, roti, dosa, idli or use it as a filling for sandwiches.

Curry leaves chutney

Ingredients: Two cups of curry leaves; a small piece of tamarind; 1 tbsp of urad dal; 1 tsp of pepper; a pinch of asafoetida; a cup of coconut gratings; 1 tsp of jaggery powder; salt to taste and 2 tsps of oil. For seasoning, 2 tsps of oil; ½ tsp of mustard seeds; ½ tsp of urad dal and two red chillies.
Method: Heat 2 tsps of oil and fry the first five ingredients till light brown and crisp (leaves). Allow them to cool and grind coarsely along with the rest of the ingredients. Temper with the ingredients for seasoning. This goes well with rice, roti, idli or dosa.

Doddapatre chutney

Ingredients: A cup of fresh Indian borage leaves (finely chopped); ½ tsp each of jeera and pepper; 1 tsp of amla gratings; a cup of coconut gratings; salt to taste and 2 tsps of ghee. For seasoning, 2 tsp of oil; ½ tsp of mustard seeds and a few curry leaves.
Method: Heat ghee in a pan and fry the jeera and pepper. Add the chopped leaves and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool. Grind to a paste along with coconut gratings and salt. Season with the mentioned ingredients. Serve with rice and rotis.

Brahmi chutney

Ingredients: A cup of brahmi leaves (chopped); ½ tsp each of jeera and pepper; ¼ tsp of ajwain; a cup of coconut gratings; salt, sugar and lime to taste and 2 tsps of ghee. For seasoning, 2 tsps of oil; ½ tsp of jeera and a pinch of asafoetida.
Method: Heat ghee in a pan and fry jeera, pepper and ajwain. Add the chopped leaves and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Allow this to cool. Grind with salt, sugar, lime juice and coconut gratings. Temper the chutney and serve with rice or rotis.
Note: Some of these chutneys (except curry leaves one) can be made into dips by mixing them with beaten curds.