Thursday, February 28, 2013

Thengai Pottukadalai Chutney / Roasted gram and Coconut Dip for Idly and Dosa


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There are a few dishes we normally ignore to blog just because we make it almost everyday thinking, "ah! who wants this recipe. I better not bring it to light"

Thengai Chutney is one such recipe, I had never wanted to bring out.

While we adapt stylishly, the westernised fruit shakes, cereals and sandwiches as food for the morning, I feel a South Indian does justice to his genes by opting his simple and favourite comfort breakfast which is none other than a plate of hot and soft idlies or crispy dosas with small katoris of seasoned flavourful coconut chutney and sambhar.
I bet he misses the satisfaction he might get in this simple breakfast, otherwise in his westernised option, wherever he lives!

The easily digestible protein present in the lentils of the fermented batter used to make idlies or dosas compliments perfectly with the minerals present in the raw coconut and the protein in the roasted gram. Even the green chillies ground along are beneficial! Please do not be apprehensive about the oil used for seasoning! You need a bit of oil to make the whole breakfast complete and assimilable.
Thus you give a perfect kick-start for the day!



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Thengai Pottukadalai Chutney / Roasted gram and Coconut dip

Serves- a small family
Time needed - 15 minutes

You Need:

To Grind:

1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
1/4 cup roasted gram / pottukadalai
2-3 green chillies/ pachamilagai
One small clove of garlic/poondu
one small onion/ chinna vengayam
1 cm pc ginger/inji
Salt to taste
Water- 3-4 tbsp

To Season:

1 tsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal
2 fat pinches of hing/perungaya podi
A sprig of curry leaves.

Method:


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Grind along the ingredients mentioned in the list to a smooth paste adding enough water (3-4 tbsp +/-).
After grinding, dilute with some more water, say 3-5 tbsps more to dilute and transfer to a serving bowl. Season immediately.


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For seasoning, heat oil in a small kadai ( I use an iron ladle meant for tadka) splutter the mustard seeds, brown the urad dal


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and add in hing. I switch off fire at this point to avoid further browning of the tadka. Throw in the curry leaves, the next second ,and pour the seasoning over the ground chutney.


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I managed to click with one hand while seasoning with the other; rotated the bowl gently all over to 180 deg to capture the fresh seasoning dripping down to mingle with the chutney. That's the first picture you saw above :)



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Serve with hot idlies or crispy dosas!

Note:

See to it you do not add more of garlic/onion/ginger or else their flavours tend to dominate the mild flavour of fresh coconut.They are added as taste/flavour enhancers to the final dip.
Do not heat the chutney as the gram curdles, making the whole side dish in edible!It is better you use the dip fresh and not store for later use.
If at all, chill/freeze the undiluted chutney, bring down to room temperature a few minutes before serving and season fresh.

21 comments:

  1. lovely photos! u too add small onion - i do have that habit ! some times i finely chop the onion and fry it while tempering ! its taste differ too !

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  2. Awesome clicks... Will always relish this chutney

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  3. Very true....me too after thinking for longgggg time I posted my coconut chutney recipe in my blog....:-)

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  4. Looks lovely and delicious.. nice clicks too !!

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  5. that tadka pan is so adorable..i want oneeee :)
    i am rubbish at making any type of chutney..sigh :(

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  6. Nice chutney..my Mom adds a chinna vengayam too! :) My combo is ginger& green chilly, garlic & red chilly!

    Perfect breakfast

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  7. Very tasty chutney and nice clicks to go with it.

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  8. its true that we feel odd to post something thats common in everyone's home - but am sure everyone have their own way of preparing and that is what makes our dish taste different....lovely chutney! pleasing presentation :)

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  9. lovely presentation.. nice chutney..

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  10. all time favourite!nice to see the iron karandi!

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  11. This is exactly how I make chutney!

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  12. Nice clicks... The tadka pan looks nice

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  13. I can have two more idlies with this chutney.

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  14. Add for garlic is new for me. Truly a inviting breakfast.

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  15. Looks simply great.My all time favourite..

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  16. Hmm...looks very delicious....very comforting food...

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  17. simply chutney presented with great fashion!!!
    Sowmya
    Ongoing Event - What is with my Cuppa
    Ongoing Event - HITS - Diabetic Friendly

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  18. Beautiful clicks. ...Chutney looks delicious. ..I will try this recipe soon..thanks for sharing. ...

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  19. Wrong !!! You need to fry the ingredients before you grind otherwise the raw taste stays back..The taste is weird this way

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    Replies
    1. Sorry for my late response here, Harshita.

      This is my most tried and tested recipe among all the ones blogged so far in my space. Moreover, it's my family favourite which we make at least 3 days a week for the past few decades in my home. This the basic chutney recipe of Tamil Nadu served in weddings, and vegetarian restauarants widely and never ever has a weird taste, unless you don't like it personally.
      The pottukadalai or the gram, is an already fried one, we start to use. In Tamil Nadu, coconut, green chillies and a small amount of ginger and garlic are all ground together as per the recipe mentioned.

      The fried ingredient chutney, is a totally different one, we call it Thogayal.
      Hope I am clear!
      KIndly note, there isnt anything wrong with a recipe,unless it is totally unedible.
      Also, make sure, to be a bit more courteous, when you leave such comments anywhere. Not all would explain patiently like me :)

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