Chutneys are an important part of tamilnadu cuisine. The staple food Idli – steamed rice cake and Dosai – Rice and lentil pancake is always had with different kinds of chutneys. These might vary in their combination of ingredients – coconut, dals and vegetables to make it more spicy, tangy or very spicy.

Inji thuvayal – Ginger Chutney

Inji Thuvayal is an accompaniment for kaaikari sodhi or the vegetable stew. This is mainly for digestional purpose since coconut milk makes the dish very heavy. Ginger aids in digestion.

Ingredients

• Ginger – 5 tsp
• red chillies – 3 nos
• freshly grated coconut – 1/4 cup
• tamarind – 1 small lemon sized
• salt to taste
• oil – 1 tsp for frying

Thaalippu – Tadka

• oil – 1 tsp
• mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• broken urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• curry leaves – a few

Method of preparation

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan
2. Fry ginger and red chillies for a while
3. Now add freshly grated coconut and tamarind and fry for a while
4. Grind all the above together in a blender to a fine paste
5. For tadka, heat oil in a small pan
6. Add mustard seeds
7. Let mustard seeds splutter, add urad dal
8. When urad dal turns light reddish, add curry leaves
9. Pour this into the chutney
10. Serve with stew.