Indian Chutney & Salad Recipe

Over the centuries, Indian cooking has become as diverse as the people who came together in this original melting pot. Strongly influenced by old traditions, religion, geography and economic roots. Its food varies from region to region. Owing to this reason, the subcontinent has cradled a proud place in classic cooking. You will find tantalizing diversity, sophistication and imagination.

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:

coconut 1 cup (freshly grated)
fresh green or red chilies 2 (chopped)
garlic 1 clove (optional)
water 1 cup
Salt as per taste


for seasoning:
vegetable oil 1 tsp
black mustard seeds 1 tsp
urad dhal 1 tsp
curry leaf 1 sprig


Method:

• Grind all the Ingredients: (except those for seasoning) together.
• Blend the mixture until it forms a coarse paste. Transfer it to a bowl.
• Heat the oil and when it is hot, add the mustard seeds and urad dhal.
• When the seeds start spluttering, add the curry leaves.
• Quicky stir the mustard seed mixture into the pureed coconut mixture.

Tips Serve fresh with dosas, idlis, upma, utthapams, vadas, etc.

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients:
Tomato 1 lb
Garlic 8-10 cloves
Urad dhal 1 tsp
Mustard 1 tsp
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Oil 8 tbsp
Asafoetida 2 pinches
Chilli powder 3 tsp
Coriander powder 3 tsp
Salt as per taste


Method:

• Cut the tomatoes into cubes and grind them to a fine juicy paste.
• Grind the garlic to a fine paste.
• Heat oil in the pan, and prepare the seasoning with mustard, asafoetida,turmeric and urad dal.
• Since more oil is used it stays fresh and tasty for quite a long time.
• Add the garlic paste and fry for a few seconds.
• Pour the tomato juice into the pan and add the chilli powder and salt to taste.
• Keep stirring the contents till all the water is evaporated and the chutney becomes very thick.

Tips: Store in an air tight jar in the refrigerator.

Mint Chutney

Ingredients:
a full bunch of Mint leaves
garlic 3 flakes
green chillies 3 - 4
tamrind paste 1/2 tsp
sugar 1 1/2 tsp
water 1-2 tsp (if needed)
salt as per taste


Method:

• Wash and clean the mint leaves, then pluck it from its soft stem.
• Put this leaves in the mixer and half gind it and then softly squeeze out the juice.
• Again put these half squeezed leaves in the mixer and add all the other remaining Ingredients.
• Grind it till chutney turns smooth.

Tips Mint leaves are good for acidity and helps digestion.

Cilantro Chutney

Ingredients:
cilantro, chopped 2 cups
channa dal 2 tsp
red or green Chillies 5
salt as per taste


Method:

• Fry the channa dal and red chillies in two tsp of oil.
• Chop the cilantro, add the tamarind and roasted channa dal, salt to taste and grind fine.

Tips: Make sure you chop the cilantro stems very finely or they will leave strings in your chutney.

Green Salad

Ingredients:
cucumber 1 large
tomato 1 large
carrot 1 large
onion 1 large
salad leaves 1 large
spring onions 1 bunch
beetroot 1 small
leafy green cabbage 1 small
lemon juice extracted
salt, pepper (freshly ground)
ground sugar to taste


Method:

• Steam beetroot and then peel and slice into thin rounds.
• Chop separately cabbage, celery and spring onions, thinly.
• Keep whole 6-7 salad leaves.
• Place all in separate bowls of chilled water for half an hour in fridge till crisp.
• Grate separately cucumber and carrot. Place similarly as above.
• Chop onion and tomatoes. (finely and separately)
• Rinse a transparent glass bowl with cold water.
• Stick the beetroot slices around the inner wall of the bowl, evenly.
• Spread the tomatoes at the bottom of bowl without dropping beetroot.
• Sprinkle salt and pepper.
• Drain spring onions, remove, excess moisture by dabbing lightly on kitchen towels.
• Spread over tomatoes. Sprinkle salt and pepper, repeat other layers similarly for each vegetable in following order. Cabbage, celery, onion and carrot.
• Sprinkle lemon juice, garnish by analysing the celery leaves attractively on top.

Tips: Make sure you don't forget to chill before serving.