COCONUT CHUTNEY

What can be a more fitting accompaniment than a dollop of freshly ground coconut chutney for any South Indian breakfast or snack?

It is one of the simplest of recipes –yet many do not succeed in getting the right taste, flavor and presentation…

One of the secret of white and aromatic coconut chutney is to use freshly grated coconut (refrigerated /frozen coconut gratings let out coconut oil when ground in a mixie-hence spoils the taste and color.

INGREDIENTS

·        Freshly grated coconut -2 cups

·        Roasted gram(pottukkadalai) -1/2 cup

·        Green chillies-3

·        Tamarind- A tiny ball

·        or (tamarind  puree -1/4 teaspoon)

·        salt to taste

·        oil -1 teaspoon

·        curry leaves –few

·        mustard seeds -1/4 teaspoon

·        urad dhal -1/4 teaspoon

METHOD

·        Put  the coconut, roasted gram ,green chillies ,tamarind and salt into a mixie jar.

·        Grind it to a slightly grainy paste with just enough water.

·        Do not run the mixie continuously as it might heat up and cause the oil in the coconut to separate.

·        You can dilute it to your desired consistency.

·        (Usually thick chutney is more favoured)

·   You can also add a green chilly or two extra if the coconut is sweetish or you prefer spicy chutney.

·   Temper it with mustard seeds ,urad dhal and curry leaves spluttered in hot oil.

·      This is a great side dish for any South Indian dish like  idlies, dosas, upma, pongal, kichadi, vadais, bajjis, bondas etc…