Thengai Chutney (Tamil style coconut chutney)

Thengai Chutney (Tamil style coconut chutney)

A delicious chutney, goes well with idli / dosa /vada / ponagal varieties. Recipe from Sabitha Radhakrishna’s cookery book Aharam.

Serves: 2 – 3

Ingredients

1 cup (75 g – 5 tablespoons) grated coconut

2 green chillies (small size), chopped

½ - inch piece ginger, chopped

½ teaspoon thick tamarind paste (1/2 – ¾ teaspoon)

1 tablespoon dry roasted channa dal (Bengal gram dal)

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

2 tablespoon water

Method

In a pan or iron kadai, dry roast channa dal on a medium to low heat for 8 – 10 minutes (without oil) until slight color changes.

Transfer all the ingredients into a small mixer bowl and make a smooth paste with 2 tablespoon water. Finally, adjust the consistency of the chutney with extra 50 ml (1/4 cup) water if required. Or serve as thick chutney.

For seasoning:

2 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon urad dal (split black gram dal)

4 curry leaves

Method

Heat oil in a tadka pan or a small pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add urad dal and curry leaves. Fry on a low heat for 2 – 4 minutes until fragrant and crisp. Pour this seasoning over chutney and serve with dosa / idli / vada / pongal ..