Category Archives: Chutneys

Nellikkai Thakkali Thuvayal/Gooseberry Tomato Chutney (Gooseberry Chutney Series)

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This one is going to be the last in the series, for now. We added coconut, then included roasted/fried lentils to gooseberries. Why leave the beautiful tomatoes, that are used in several chutneys/dips to give texture, colour and flavor? So, this time it is the turn of tomatoes to do the honours for gooseberries.

I have added coconut too, as I find it difficult to imagine a thuvayal without coconut. Certainly, coconut provides added flavour to tomato chutney, even without gooseberry. If one would like to omit the coconut in this chutney, please go ahead. It tastes as good as it would with coconut.

Nellikkai Thakkali Thuvayal/Gooseberry Tomato Chutney

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • periya nellikkai/gooseberry (bigger variety) – 5 no.s chopped
  • thengai/coconut – 1/4 of one- finely chopped/grated
  • milagai vatral/redchillies- 10 or as preferred
  • chinna vengayam/shallots- 8 no.s
  • poondu/garlic– 8-10 cloves
  • thakkalli/tomato- 4 no.s
  • uppu/salt – to taste
  • yennai/oil – 1 tsp

Method of Preparation

  1. Peel shallots, grate coconut, chop tomatoes and gooseberries
  2. In a pan, take a tsp of oil. Fry red chillies, garlic and shallots, and fry till shallots become opaque
  3. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till soft and slightly mushy
  4. Switch off the stove. Let the fried stuff cool a bit
  5. In the blender jar, add grated coconut and chopped gooseberries
  6. Add the fried ingredients
  7. Add salt and water and blend to a smooth paste
  8. First blend with very little water, as tomatoes would have some moisture to make the thuvayal
  9. Add more if needed
  10. This thuvayal tastes best with seasoning.

thaalippu – seasoning

  • yennai/oil  – 2 tsp
  • kadugu/mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • ulundham paruppu/skinned black gram – 1 tsp
  • kariveppilai/curry leaves- 5/6
  1. Heat oil in a small pan
  2. Add mustard seeds
  3. When they splutter add black gram
  4. When it becomes golden brown, add curry leaves
  5. Pour this into the thuvayal.

I think I didn’t have curry leaves, while making and clicking this chutney. That’s why picture doesn’t have them.

Serve with Idli, Dosai, Uthappam or any main course of your choice.

NO COCONUT- Nellikkai Milagaivatral Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Red Chilli Chutney (Gooseberry Chutney Series)

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Incase you just felt overwhelmed with the coconut in the recent thuvayal/chutneys, this post is to bring some change. Or, did you think this is not only gooseberry but also a coconut chutney series, here you go – a NO COCONUT chutney. Needless to say, raw coconut any time is a healthy nut/vegetable.

Coconut serves as an important blending agent, and without that ingredient, thuvayal needs yet another texture provider. Roasted or fried lentils are substitutes here. Those who do not like coconut or want to avoid the fleshy nut, roasted lentils can be used instead.

This is yet another chutney, with minimal ingredients – two lentils, garlic, red chillies and gooseberries, that’s it. One can make with one lentil too.

There can be endless combinations to create a healthy and tasty chutney with gooseberries. So, feel free to create your own. These are a few variations, that came to my mind, nothing more. But, there are plenty more chutneys that I make with gooseberries, but haven’t clicked pictures to post.

NO COCONUT- Nellikkai Milagaivatral Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Red Chilli Chutney

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • periya nellikkai/gooseberry (bigger variety) – 5no.s chopped
  • vatral/redchillies- 6/7 as preferred
  • garlic- 10-12 cloves
  • ulundham paruppu/skinned black gram – 2 tbsp
  • kadalai paruppu/bengal gram – 2 tbsp
  • uppu/salt – to taste
  • yennai/oil – 1 tsp

Method of Preparation

  1. Chop gooseberries
  2. In a pan, take a tsp of oil and fry skinned black gram and bengal gram till golden.
  3. Add red chillies and garlic and fry till garlic turns slightly golden. Too much frying is not needed
  4. Switch off the stove. Let the fried stuff cool a bit
  5. In the blender jar, grind chopped gooseberries and the fried ingredients with just enough water
  6. For me, this thuvayal tastes best without seasoning. 
  7. It can also had with Rice, apart from the usual Idli and Dosai.

Nellikkai Thengai Milagaivatral Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Coconut Red Chilli Chutney (Gooseberry Chutney Series)

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Next in the nellikkai/gooseberry thuvayal series, is a blend of coconut, red chillies, shallots, ginger and the star ingredient gooseberry.

There is an extra addition here – black gram, to give some texture to the chutney. We fry deskinned blackgram, shallots, ginger and redchillies. The fried ingredients are then added to fresh coconut and gooseberry to be blended.

Nellikkai Thengai Milagaivatral Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Coconut Red Chilli Chutney

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • periya nellikkai/gooseberry (bigger variety) – 5no.s chopped
  • thengai/coconut – 1/2 finely chopped/grated
  • milagai vatral/redchillies- 6/7 as preferred
  • chinna vengayam/shallots- 8 no.s
  • ginger– 1/2 inch piece
  • ulundham paruppu/skinned black gram – 2 tbsp
  • uppu/salt – to taste
  • yennai/oil – 1 tsp

Method of Preparation

  1. Peel shallots, grate coconut, chop gooseberries
  2. In a pan, take a tsp of oil and fry skinned black gram till golden. Then add red chillies, ginger and shallots, and fry till shallots become opaque. This would take a minute or two
  3. Switch off the stove. Let the fried stuff cool a bit
  4. In the blender jar, add grated coconut and chopped gooseberries
  5. Add the fried ingredients
  6. Add salt and water and blend to a smooth paste
  7. I prefer adding just enough water to all the gooseberry chutneys, to give a feel of thuvayal made in ‘Ammikkal’- stone grinder or the traditional roller stone.
  8. This thuvayal tastes best with seasoning.

thaalippu – seasoning

  • yennai/oil  – 2 tsp
  • kadugu/mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • ulundham paruppu/skinned black gram – 1 tsp
  • kariveppilai/curry leaves- 5/6
  1. Heat oil in a small pan
  2. Add mustard seeds
  3. When they splutter add black gram
  4. When it becomes golden brown, add curry leaves
  5. Pour this into the thuvayal.

Serve with Idli, Dosai, Uthappam or any main course of your choice.

Nellikkai Pudhina Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Mint Chutney (Gooseberry Chutney Series)

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This thuvayal is a combination of coconut, green chillies, shallots, garlic, gooseberry and mint.

For this chutney, we fry onions, garlic and mint leaves. The fried ingredients are added to fresh coconut, green chilli and gooseberry.

Nellikkai Pudhina Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Mint Chutney

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • periya nellikkai/gooseberry (bigger variety) – 3 no.s chopped
  • thengai/coconut – 1/2 finely chopped/grated
  • pachchai milagai/green chillies- 6/7 as preferred
  • chinna vengayam/shallots- 5 no.s
  • poondu/garlic cloves – 6 no.s
  • pudhina/mint leaves- 1 cup
  • uppu/salt – to taste
  • yennai/oil – 1 tsp

Method of Preparation

  1. Clean the mint leaves well
  2. Peel garlic and shallots
  3. In a pan, take a tsp of oil and fry garlic and shallots, till shallots become opaque. This would take 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add the cleaned mint leaves and switch off the stove. Let the mint cook a bit in the hot pan. Frying of mint is not needed.
  5. In the blender jar, add grated coconut, green chillies and chopped gooseberries.
  6. Add the fried garlic, shallots and mint leaves
  7. Add salt and water and blend to a smooth paste
  8. This thuvayal too doesn’t need thaalippu or seasoning.

For a tangier dip, add gooseberries; adjust green chillies as per family preference.

Nellikkai Malli Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Coriander Chutney (Gooseberry Chutney Series)

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The next thuvayal/chutney is a combination of – coconut, green chillies, coriander and ginger, with the goodness of gooseberry.

Like the previous coconut gooseberry chutney, this one is also a NO FRY dip. This easy to make Thuvayal, goes fresh into the blender and comes fresh to your plate.

Nellikkai Malli Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Coriander Chutney

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • periya nellikkai/gooseberry (bigger variety) – 3 no.s chopped
  • thengai/coconut – 1/2 finely chopped
  • pachchai milagai/green chillies- 6/7 as preferred
  • inji/ginger – 1/2 inch diced ginger
  • malli ilai/coriander leaves – a bunch (appr. 100gms)
  • uppu/salt – to taste

Method of Preparation

  1. Clean the coriander well
  2. Chop all ingredients for easy grinding in the blender
  3. Add salt and water and blend to a smooth paste
  4. This thuvayal too doesn’t need thaalippu or seasoning with oil and mustard seeds like other chutneys. Still if one prefers, go ahead. 
  5. One can even substitute the ginger with fresh garlic- That tastes awesome but don’t forget to brush your teeth or use a mouth freshener while talking to people.

For a tangier dip, add gooseberries; adjust green chillies as per family preference.

Nellikkai Thengai Milagai Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Coconut Greenchilli Chutney (Gooseberry Chutney Series)

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This thuvayal is a simple combination of three ingredients – coconut, green chillies, and ginger, with the goodness of gooseberry.

Tastes awesome with idli, dosai, oothappam, paniyaaram, vadai and why not, rice too.

Nellikkai Thengai Milagai Thuvayal

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • periya nellikkai/gooseberry (bigger variety) – 3 no.s chopped
  • thengai/coconut – 1/2 finely chopped
  • pachchai milagai/green chillies- 5/6 as preferred
  • inji/ginger – 1/2 inch diced ginger
  • uppu/salt – to taste

Method of Preparation

  1. Chop all ingredients for easy grinding in the blender
  2. Add salt and water and blend to a smooth paste
  3. This thuvayal doesn’t need thaalippu or seasoning with oil and mustard seeds like other chutneys. Still if one prefers, go ahead.

thaalippu – seasoning

  • oil  – 2 tsp
  • mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • urad dal – 1/2 tsp
  • curry leaves
  1. Heat oil in a small pan
  2. Add mustard seeds
  3. When they splutter add split black gram
  4. When it becomes golden brown, add curry leaves
  5. Pour this into the thuvayal.

Any Thuvayal is a flexible dip to make. Increase or reduce the quantity of coconut, green chilli or gooseberry as per taste preference. For a tangier dip, add gooseberries; for a spicier thuvayal add chillies.

Nellikkai Thuvayal – Gooseberry Chutney Series

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Gooseberry is one of those nutritious fruits that often brings back nostalgic memories. When we used to travel during school vacations to my paternal grandmother’s native place in down south Tamilnadu, the houses that had ‘nelli maram’ or the gooseberry tree was a special place for me. ‘Arunelli’ – the yellow and extremely sour, smaller variety of gooseberry was my favorite. With the beautiful Kutralam Falls nearby and the monsoon setting in, the village would have intermittent pleasant showers and chill air. The fields, farm lands, and the tall trees imparting different shades of green, would present such a soothing atmosphere, that the developed cities should beg for.

Visiting elders and relatives of the close knit family was a routine, common to most households. Also, introducing the third generation to other relatives of the extended family was part of those village visits. That is one of the major tasks of grandfathers and grandmothers, providing essential links through generations.

Coming back to gooseberry, most houses would welcome you with the arunelli maram in the frontyard, with bunches of the delicious fruit. I think the hosts should have been amused seeing my eyes rest on the gooseberries than in their conversation, I would always come back with packs of berries, the fruit and the taste I’ve treasured in my memory till today.

By Abhishek Jacob at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44823119

Post vacations, back at home in the city, thankfully those days, there were no branded food outlets in the corner for junk intake. On the way back from school, arunelli/gooseberries sprinkled with salt and chilli powder was a favorite walking partner. This memory glittered back during my Cambodia days, where I could buy arunelli from the street vendor with salt and chilli powder.

photo taken from dosaikal.com/the cambodia connections-I, my post back in April 2013.

The other gooseberry is the bigger variety. While arunelli is a snack in hand, periya nellikkai is versatile. Eat it raw, make thuvayal/chutney or pickles, make nellikkai saadham/rice, thayir pachchadi/yoghurt raita – the options are endless.

First, enjoy the sourness of nellikkai; then, have a tumbler of water; get amazed by the sweetness that spreads in your mouth.

Setting new nutrition goals during the Covid crisis, I had been trying out different kinds of thuvayal/chutneys with periya nellikkai/big gooseberries. The fruit is at its nutritious best, when consumed raw. Hence, I try to add gooseberries without roasting or stir frying in the dips i make. Also, I have tried to add chinna vengayam/shallots in the fried chutneys, as a replacement for normal onions.

As a thuvayal series, I would like to share a few of those chutneys in the coming posts.

See you all soon.

Pooti Aachi Vengaya Thuvayal – Great Grandmother’s Onion Chutney

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This post is a tribute to the almost nonagenarian, my 89 year old grandmother-aachi, whose kitchen I peeped into as a kid. It has been a beautiful journey of love, love and love alone – millions of life’s lessons learnt from thousands of chatting sessions. The soft yet strong hands have produced en-numerous delicacies with tonnes of affection. I see those soft hands that have turned wrinkled and bony… and realize life’s harsh truths. The truth of aging, might not be as bad as I sound.. as we learn the art of aging graciously. But seeing our elders age is certainly one among the severest truths.

  


  

When I hold those hands now, I feel the same warmth among those pressing bones that protrude. How many nei urundais (lentils sweet) and pathirpeni (sugary crisps) and murukkus (savoury crisps) have these hands made and served, the taste still lingering in our minds…
 
When I see the glittering child like smile amidst those few clinging teeth and skinny cheeks, I long for the same energetic glee that has welcomed us home from school…
 
When I now listen to the never ending stories through the tired voice, I hope to hear the tamil songs sung to me and the gossips of the household with the same youthful tone…
 
When I look into those wrinkled sleepy eyes, I think of those youthful eyes that admired my every move…
 

But.. the joy of having aachis/grandmothers to tell you stories and admire your children is certainly a boon.
  

at work – great grandmother and great grand daughter


  

When I see my little daughter enjoy the company of Pooti Aachi/Great Grandmother and play several games, I am astonished by the connect of an almost ninety year old with a nine year old and also the other way round! The passion to connect can well be understood by today’s generation of social networks. This is a great connect, that needs no wi-fi. This is the generational link that passes through four generations of interdependent relationships. Quite amazing..truly no words to express.

This is yet another trademark Aachi’s recipe. This storable Onion Chutney is simply the best of chutneys and a great preserve. It can be stored for weeks without a refrigerator. But.. brush your teeth before meeting people.. these are onions and garlic.

The name normally associated with the thuvayal/chutney is vengaya thuvayal or onion chutney. But when it became my daughter’s most favorite chutney, she renamed it as ‘Pooti Aachi Vengaya Thuvayal’ – what else could suit the best of dishes – with the four generational connect. So each time we go home, this is packed on demand…

Due to old age, pooti aachi/great grand ma doesn’t make it anymore. It is made by her daugther-in-law – Amma who has been making this for decades now. But, aachi insists to stand behind to guide, so that nothing is missed. Such emphasis on perfection… certain traits of old age one can’t avoid, I suppose. Though Amma makes the same Great Grandmother’s Onion Chutney to perfection, but she needs to wait a few more decades to earn that name- ‘Pooti Aachi’ and the chutney to be named after her.

So, this post is completely in admiration of that Grand Lady of True Affection, whom I always long would stay with me forever.
  

Pooti Aachi Vengaya Thuvayal
  


  

The chutney is a very simple one, that involves patience and care… the same qualities that I respect my Aachi for.
  

Ingredients
  


  

To grind-

  • chinna vengayam/shallots – 4 cups (appr. 600 gms peeled)
  • poondu/garlic – 1 cup – (appr. 150 gms peeled)
  • milagai vatral/red chillies – 10 no.s

  
For Tempering-

  • nallennai/gingelly oil – 1/2 cup
  • kadugu/mustard seeds – 2 tsp
  • kariveppilai/curry leaves – 3 tbsp

  
Seasoning-

  • salt – to taste
  • juice of 2 small lemons

  
Method of Preparation

1. Wash and peel shallots and garlic and cut into random pieces

2. Fry red chillies in droplets of oil, this helps the seeds to grind well with onion and garlic


  

3. First dry grind the roasted red chillies and then grind the shallots and garlic with chillies into a smooth paste


  

4. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat 1/4 cup oil

5. Drop the mustard seeds and once they splutter, simmer stove and add curry leaves

6. Fry for a few seconds and pour the blended paste

7. Increase the flame and bring it to boil


  

8. Then, simmer again and let this mixture cook well – it would take at least 20 minutes to reach a thicker consistency.

9. Do not add salt till this stage. As the mixture thickens, we will need lesser salt

10. Add salt and tell it thicken more… say another 5 minutes

11. When the colour of the chutney reaches brown colour .. remember it was off-white in the beginning, add juice of 1 big lemon or 2 small lemons
  

from off-white


 

to brown


  

12. Once the lemon juice is incorporated, we can notice the colour change in the thuvayal from brown to black.

13. Do not overcook after adding lemon juice…as it will make the chutney bitter

14. After addition of lemon juice, the time needed would be approximately  3 minutes for the chutney to be ready


  

15. Enjoy with all kinds of Idlies and Dosais or even breads and rotis…why not!!

Chinna Vengaya Thuvayal – Shallot Dip/Chutney

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IMG_2902

Unlike most of those plans/promises I have not been able to keep up, this time I could make it. As written in the previous post – here is the chinna vengaya thuvayal, ideal for lentil dosais. Also good for basic Idli and Dosai, but I believe the garlic content in this vengaya thuvayal helps to tackle the gastric problems which might arise for some, due to the protein rich whole lentils in the pancakes. In a whole, this thuvayal aids in digestion.

With simple ingredients and simpler preparation, this has the ability to change the earthy pancakes into a special treat or a quick and easy breakfast or dinner food.

 

Chinna Vengaya Thuvayal – Shallot Dip/Chutney

IMG_2858
Ingredients (serves 4)

  • chinna vengayam/shallots- 12 no.s
  • poondu/garlic – 12 cloves
  • milagai vatral/dried red chillies – 6 no.s (less or more)
  • puli/tamarind – gooseberry size
  • uppu/salt – to taste

thaalippu/seasoning:

  • nallennai/gingelly oil – 6 tsp
  • kadugu/mustard seeds – 1 tsp
  • ulundham paruppu/dehusked black gram – 1 tsp
  • kariveppilai/curry leaves – a few

 


IMG_2436

 

Method of Preparation

  1. Clean, wash and cut onions and garlic
  2. Wash tamarind well
  3. Grind to a smooth paste with red chillies, tamarind and salt
  4. Heat 4 tsp oil, add mustard seeds and black gram; when the black gram is golden brown add curry leaves; fry for about 15 seconds in low flame and pour the blended paste
  5. Stir the blended paste well in the seasoned oil
  6. Fry/cook for about 10 minutes in slow flame
  7. The texture and taste of the end thuvayal/dip depends on the family.  If one prefers a slight raw taste of onions, frying for 5 minutes is sufficient
  8. Frying the thuvayal for 10 minutes would give it a darker shade colorwise and the raw smell of onions and garlic would be gone
  9. Do not forget to stir at frequent intervals from the bottom of the pan as the thuvayal might stick to the bottom and be burnt very quickly
  10. When the thuvayal is done, remove from the pan and transfer into a serving bowl
  11. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan; Pour on top of thuvayal that has a glow on top due to hot gingelly oil
  12. Thuvayal is ready! While served with dosais, pour one or two teaspoons of gingelly oil for one of the best flavours you would have tasted till date!

 


IMG_2366

Note:

  1. The quantity of red chillies can be altered according to taste preferences.
  2. Onions and garlic also contribute to the spice of the thuvayal – so try with lesser chillies and upgrade it the next time if needed.
  3. More gingelly oil, tastier the thuvayal. The taste of gingelly oil helps in tackling the spice level and pungent smell of garlic and onion – hence do not be conscious of oil here.
  4. Instead of seasoning first, one can also start with just heating the oil and pouring the blended paste and cooking together.This doesn’t make any difference to the taste.
  5. Season the thuvayal in the end. Pouring the seasoned oil or just hot oil –  on top of the done thuvayal is very important to make the thuvayal a delight with any kind of lentil dosais.

 

IMG_2883

 

Kathirikkai Thuvayal/Brinjal Chutney

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rice with brinjal chutney

Now, here comes a special recipe. Why special?

Because… this one belongs to one my friends’ grandmother. While dosaikal.com talks about some of the traditional recipes I learnt peeping into my grandma’s kitchen, and ofcourse also trying my hands at cooking with mama and grandmama – amma and aachi, I feel delighted to try some of those precious recipes that the elders of your household have left behind for you!

Thank you so much ‘A’ for sharing this, from your treasured cookbook – your grandmother’s recipe.

Kathirikkai is Eggplant to Americans and Brinjal to the British, if I am right.

It is supposed to possess many medicinal properties and is used as a remedy for cancer, hypertension and diabetes. Brinjal is high in water content and potassium. This is an excellent cholesterol regulator. Speaking of heart health, eggplant is also naturally low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.http://www.health-galaxy.com/Benefits-of-brinjal.html

A very simple and easy recipe. ‘A’ also informed me that hot rice and thuvayal is incomplete without a kootu to go with it. Kootu is a stew of vegetables. Mixing the thuvayal/chutney with rice would make it a thick mix and the stewy kootu would aid in bringing in a balanced consistency during the travel of the food towards digestion. Kootu which is cooked with lentil also helps in the protein intake in a meal. Shall try to post ‘kootu’ in the near future.

 

Kathirikkai Thuvayal/Brinjal Chutney

kathirikkai thuvayal

Ingredients (serves approximately 6)

  • kathirikkai/Brinjals – 3 no.s if medium sized (I used one long brinjal)
  • oil – 3 tblsp
  • kadugu/mustard seeds – 1 tsp
  • seeragam/cumin seeds – 1 tsp
  • perungayam/asafoetida powder – 1 tsp
  • manjal podi/turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
  • red chilli powder – 1 tsp
  • kariveppilai/curry leaves – a few
  • puli/tamarind – about 25 gms soaked in 1/2 cup warm water

kathirikkai

cut brinjal in water

 

 

Thaalippu/Seasoning

  • oil (preferably gingelly oil) – 1 tsp
  • mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • red chillies – 1 long chilli split to halves

left to cool in a plate

smooth paste in blender

Method of Preparation

  • Clean brinjals and cut to small pieces
  • Always keep cut brinjals in water to avoid discoloration
  • Soak tamarind in warm water and leave aside
  • Heat oil in pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and saute for a while
  • Now add asafoetida powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder (I used 1 long red chilli in place of powder)
  • Mix the cut brinjals and fry them till soft
  • When the brinjals are soft, transfer to a plate or bowl and cool the ingredients
  • After brinjal is cooled, add the tamarind with water and grind in a blender to a smooth paste
  • For the thaalippu/seasoning, take 1 tsp in a pan – add mustard seeds – when they splutter, add red chillies – when they turn a bit darker pour into the thuvayal/chutney
  • Thuvayal/Chutney is ready
  • Serve with hot rice and kootu or just enjoy hot rice and chutney.

kootu – lentil and vegetable