Tag Archives: Spicy Chutneys

Chinna Vengaya Thuvayal – Shallot Dip/Chutney

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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

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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

 


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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!

 


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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.

 

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Thakkali Kaara Chutney/Spicy Tomato Chutney

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This is a very spicy chutney. Though, the spice level can be altered by the number of red chillies used, it can be really red-hot spicy. The colour of this chutney is very appealing.  With the soft dosai/pancake on a banana leaf, there is the creamy coconut chutney, tangy coriander chutney, the spicy tomato chutney and not to leave the gingelly oil mixed gun powder chutney.

Be it the steaming hot idlis/steamed rice cakes, the soft or crispy dosais, the lentil dosais or the different kinds of uthappams (recipe shortly), this chutney is a deadly combination.

All the chutneys taste the best with gingelly oil. If gingelly oil is not available, any cooking oil can be used. I have 4 red chillies for 4 ripe tomatoes since my red chillies are very spicy. So, depending upon the spice of the red chillies one can alter the number of chillies.

the chutney…

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • ripe red tomatoes (medium) – 4 no.s
  • onions (medium) – 1 no.
  • garlic cloves – 6 no.s
  • red chillies – 4 no.s
  • freshly grated coconut – 1/2 cup
  • salt – to taste
  • oil – 6 tbsp oil – preferably gingelly oil
  • kadugu/mustard seeds – 1 tsp
  • ulundham paruppu/urad dal – 2 tsp
  • curry leaves – a few

Method of Preparation

Step – I

  1. Take 1 tbsp oil in a pan
  2. Keep the burner in medium position
  3. Fry the garlic cloves till golden
  4. Add the sliced onions and fry them till they become opaque
  5. Add the red chillies and grated coconut
  6. Let the coconut roast for a while
  7. Add the randomly cut tomatoes and saute till they become soft
  8. Simmer and let this mixture mix up well for about 5 minutes
  9. Turn off the stove and let the mixture cool
  10. Take the above mixture in a blender, add salt and blend well till smooth.

Step – II

  1. Take 3 tbsp oil in a pan
  2. Add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds and let it splutter
  3. Add 1 tsp urad dal and let it turn brown
  4. Add half the curry leaves
  5. Now pour in the blended chutney into the pan
  6. Let the chutney mix well and become little thicker
  7. This might take about 5 minutes
  8. Chutney is ready.

Thaalippu/Thadka

  1. Separately heat 2 tbsp gingelly oil, add mustard seeds
  2. When they splutter add urad dal and curry leaves
  3. Pour on top of the chutney
  4. This thaalippu makes a big difference to the consistency, taste and glowy tempting looks of the chutney (see picture)
  5. The first picture is after the chutney is done. The coconut and tomatoes literally swallow the entire oil and the chutney is left with no glow
  6. The second picture shows the make-over the chutney has had!

Oh! poor me!

 

the chutney make-over

Important!!

  1. The number of red chillies to be used would depend on the spice quality of the red chillies.
  2. If one would like to omit garlic and onions, these can be avoided and two tsp of grated ginger can be used and the number of red chillies can be reduced
  3. This chutney would need more oil to compensate the spice of red chillies. If one prefers to use lesser oil, go on
  4. Still I would recommend reducing oil while the blended mixture is cooked. The last thaalippu helps in the balance of the spice
  5. This Blogger and blog would not hold responsibility for the result of the chutney or consumer consequences.

Vengaya Chutney/Onion Chutney

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This is a very simple chutney to go with all kinds of lentil based dosais. By lentil based dosais, I mean those with more proportion of lentils to rice. The basic dosai has rice and dehusked black gram in the ratio 4:1 – 4 cups of parboiled rice and 1 cup of dehusked black gram. Lentil Dosais would have more quantity of lentils to rice. (eg. Whole lentil dosa and many more to come). These chutneys are also good for basic dosais, no doubt.

 

 

Ingredients

  • vengayam/onions – big -3 nos
  • thakkali/tomatoes – big – 2 nos
  • poondu/garlic – 6 cloves
  • milagai vatral/dried red chillies – 3 nos
  • salt – to taste
  • oil – 1 tsp

Thaalippu – Tadka

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

Method of preparation

  1. Take 1 tsp oil in a chatti/deep pan
  2. When oil is hot, add garlic cloves and fry till golden
  3. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes
  4. Add tomatoes and dried red chilles and fry till tomatoes becomes soft
  5. Simmer stove accordingly. Due to less usage of oil, there are chances of onions getting burnt if stove is kept on high flame
  6. When tomatoes are soft enough to be mashed with a spoon, turn off the stove
  7. Let it cool
  8. Add salt and grind it well in mixer grinder or blender till smooth
  9. For tadka, heat oil in a small pan
  10. Add mustard seeds
  11. Let mustard seeds splutter, add urad dal
  12. When urad dal becomes light reddish, add curry leaves
  13. Pour this into the chutney
  14. Red chillies can be adjusted according to required spice of the family