Onion chutney

There are many versions of onion chutney. This is the one I make most often. The boys love the fiery, tangy flavours.

Ingredients

Pearl onions - 10-15, peeled
Onion big - chopped
Small piece of tamarind
Curry leaves - few
Red chillies - 4-5
Ginger - a small piece.
Salt to taste.
Coconut oil - 2 tsp

Method

Heat oil and fry all the ingredients. Grind to a smooth paste without adding too much water. Done-danaa-done!

Note
1. You can add tomato, and coconut to make a different version.
2. You can add tadka if the chutney is semi gravy. Do it as per your taste!!!

Ridge gourd thohayal

Yeah I know, I am nuts about thohayal.

Ingredients
Ridge gourd 1. Skinned and chopped.
Oil 1 tsp
Red chillies 2-3
Asafoetida a pinch
Urad dal 1 tsp.
Tomato 1 chopped
Tamarind small piece
Ginger 1 inch

Method
1. Fry in oil red chillies, asafoetida, urad dal. Keep aside.
2. Fry the ridge gourd, tomato, tamarind and let it cook covered till soft and water is absorbed. Let it cool.
3. Grind the all the ingredients (omitting the urad dal) with salt. After it is done, add urad dal and grind very coarse.
Goes well with rice and even phulkas!!

Coconut thohayal

Yet another thohayal!! This recipe came from my lovely chitti....

Ingredients
Oil 1 tsp
Red chillies 2-3
Urad dal 2 tsp
Asafoetida a pinch

Coconut scraped 4-5 tbsp
Small piece of tamarind
Ginger 1 inch
Curry/coriander/mint leaves (entirely optional)


Method

1. Fry in oil, red chillies, urad dal and small piece of asafoetida. Keep aside.
2. Fry coconut till it becums slightly dry. 
3. Put the tamarind in the hot fried coconut. Let it cool.
4. Grind red chillies, asafoetida, ginger, coconut, salt to a fine paste.
5. Once ground, add the fried urad dal and grind just a bit. The urad dal should not be ground too fine.

For coconut thohayal, avoid wet ingredients as they will make the thohayal bad.

You can add fried curry leaves or green dhania or few leaves of mint to this to enhance taste.

Parupu thohayal

Thohayals can be best described as South Indian chutney. Had with rice, a yogurt based gravy, they are just delicious.
This thohayal is made out of lentils. The taste of the thohayal is in its fiery, tangy tones.


Ingredients
Half lemon sized piece of tamarind.
Tur dal - 2 tbsp
Red chillies - 5 to 6
Onion 1 chopped.
Ginger 1 inch piece.
Mint or curry leaves (for added flavour, this is optional)
Oil 1 tsp
Salt to taste.


Method

1. Soak small half lemon size imli in water
2. Fry the tur dal and red chillies in oil. Transfer to mixie and set aside.
3. Fry the onion and ginger. If you add mint/curry leaves, fry them too one the onion is fried.
4. Transfer to mixie. Add the soaked tamarind piece, salt and grind well. Do not add too much water.

Your parupu thohayal is ready!!

Mint chutney

My version of pudina chutney

Pudina - half bunch
Coriander leaves - quarter to half bunch
Curry leaves - few
Ginger to taste (Too much will make it very strong)
Green chillies
Coconut (a little to give it some volume)
Small piece of tamarind
Small piece of jaggery

Grind all this with salt and little water to make a smooth paste.

Can be used as an accompaniment to many snacks, filling for sandwiches, a side dish for rotis etc.