Yummy chutneys, raitas and dips

Tomato Chutney


Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Ghee
1/4 tsp. red chilies
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 inch ginger minced or pounded in a mortar and pestle
1 inch of cinnamon stick
2 cups coarsely fresh ripe tomatoes
3 Tbsp. jaggery or brown sugar
Salt to taste


Method:
Heat ghee in a large sauce pan over moderate heat. Add the cumin seeds and let sizzle and brown. Add red chilies, ginger and stir fry for a moment. Add the other ingredients. Cook on low for about 20 to 35 minutes. Serve with meals.

Cashew Nut Chutney

Ingredients: -

1 cup raw cashews bits or halves
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger root,sliced
1-2 hot green chilies, seeded and chopped up to 1/3 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Method:
Combine the cashews,lemon juice,salt ginger and chilies 1/4 of cup water in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, or a blender, and process until smooth, adding more water as necessary to produce a loose puree. Transfer to a bowl, add the fresh coriander, and serve or cover well and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Note: This chutney thickens as it sits. Thin it with water to the desired consistency.

Coriander Chutney

Ingredients:
1 bunch coriander, fresh
1 or 2 small green chili, fresh, remove seeds
juice of one lime
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted, ground
1 pinch of black pepper

Method:
Dry roast cumin seeds in a hot cast iron frying pan, until they turn brown.
Grind into powder.
Put all the ingredients into the blender and puree into a paste.
Use as little water as necessary.

Garlic chutney
Ingredients
1 cup dry grated coconut, 4 big garlic cloves, red chili powder (adjust the quantity as per your taste), 2 tsp white sesame seeds (optional), 1/2 tsp tamarind pulp (optional), salt and a pinch of sugar to taste.
Method 1. Toast grated coconut over medium heat until light brown and crisp. Avoid burning. 2. Also toast sesame seeds until golden. Now grind sesame seeds and garlic cloves together to form a coarse powder. 3. Mix the ground powder, coconut, chili powder, tamarind pulp, salt and sugar. Do not add water in it. 4. Crush the mixture using a mortar and pestle until all the ingredients are well blended. The mixture turns into a soft ball as coconut and sesame seeds release oil. Garlic chutney is ready. Serve as an accompaniment with dal-rice or with any spicy snacks. This chutney goes well with bhakri or potato vadas. Tips: You can add other ingredients such as cumin seeds, chana dalia or dry roasted peanuts. Garlic chutney can be made in a food processor. Yet, chutney made using a mortar and pestle is more flavorful.

Peanut chutney
Ingredients
1/2 cup peanut powder, 3-4 nos. green chilies, coriander leaves, 1 tsp cumin powder, salt and sugar/jaggery,
Method 1. Chop chilies. 2. Pound together peanut powder and chilies until they blend well with each other and you can shape the mixture into a ball. 3. Add salt, sugar or jaggery and cumin powder and mix again. Peanut chutney is ready. 4. While serving, add 2 tsp yogurt to the dry chutney. Or add lemon juice to the chutney instead of yogurt. Variation: If you don't have peanut powder, soak peanuts in water for half hour. Shell them and do the rest as per the instructions given above.

Green chili chutney
Ingredients
2/3 green chilies, 1/4 cup yogurt small piece ginger (optional) salt
Method 1. Roast green chilies over direct flame. 2. Crush these chilies. 3. Mix together, yogurt, chilies, ginger paste and salt 4. Serve with plain rice and dal. Vary the proportion of yogurt as desired.

Breadcrumb chutney
Ingredients
slices of bread (take a dry, leftover bread, not the fresh one) red chili powder salt
Method Grind together bread slices, red chili powder and salt to make a coarse chutney. Tip: This chutney goes excellent with vada pav

Garlic chutney
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup dry coconut, 1/2 cup white sesame seeds, 10-15 small garlic cloves (peeled), 2 tsp peanut powder 1 small onion chili powder (quantity as desired) salt
Method 1. Roast coconut till it turns red. 2. Roast white sesame seeds separately. Then roast garlic cloves in a tsp of oil till they become light red. 3. Now grind coconut, sesame seeds, garlic cloves, onion pieces, chili powder and salt. 4. Finally add peanut powder and mix well. This chutney goes well with bhakri or potato vada.

Aam ki Chutney


INGREDIENTS

1 kg raw mangoes-peeled and grated
4 cups sugar
¾ cup salt
¼ cup chilli powder
1 tbsp peppercorns

Powder
2 bay leaves
1 tsp asafoetida
1 tbsp clove
an airtight sterilised jar

METHOD

In a steel or a glass bowl, mix in the grated mango and sugar. Tie with a piece of muslin and keep in the sun, stirring twice a day for about 4 days.

Mix in the salt, chilli powder, peppercorns and powdered garam masala and continue sunning till the sugar dissolves.

Transfer into a sterilised jar and store.

Pudhine ki Chutney

INGREDIENTS

100 gm fresh mint leaves and tender stalks
1 cup onions-coarsely chopped
1 tsp roasted cumin seeds
salt to taste
2 tbsp chopped green chillies
2 tsp sugar
¼ cup yoghurt-beaten smooth

METHOD

Chop the tender stalks and the mint leaves roughly.

Grind all the ingredients together, except the yoghurt, to form a smooth paste.

Mix the yoghurt into the chutney and serve.