Chutney chaska

Chutney chaska

November 2022

Chutney  Chaska 

By Naini Setalvad

Show off your chutney-making skills to your friends after  trying these recipes shared by Naini Setalvad 

If I was ever asked to define ‘chutney,’ I  would be at a loss for words. It’s neither a  relish nor a sauce and definitely not a jam.  It’s simply and uniquely— chutney! Having  its own little culinary corner, this delectable  Indian condiment adds flavour as well as  nutritive value to our meals. Check out a few  of my favourites. 

Curry Leaf Chutney  

Satisfying every type of taste bud, this one is a  real winner. The main ingredient, curry leaf,  is full of antioxidants and known to help man age blood sugars better.  

Ingredients 

2 cups curry leaves (curry patta) 

20 gm thick tamarind (imli) pulp  

1 tbsp jaggery (gur) 

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

1½ tbsp split black gram (urad dal)  2 tsp mustard (rai) seeds  

1 tsp cumin (jeera) seeds  

3–4 dry red chillies (mirchi) 

1 cup coriander (dhanya)leaves 

½ tsp turmeric (haldi) powder  

1 pinch asafoetida (hing)  

Salt to taste 

Method 

1. Heat ½ tbsp of oil in a pan and roast the  curry leaves until crisp. 

2. Heat the remaining oil and roast the black  gram. 

3. Once that turns golden, add the mustard  and cumin seeds. 

4. Add the dry red chillies to the pan and roast. 5. Grind the above along with the curry leaves,  tamarind pulp, jaggery, and salt into a coarse  paste and serve. 

Wisdom 41

Brinjal (Baingan)  

Chutney 

Here is a chutney that is  bursting with flavour. It’s a  great way to enhance fibre in  your meal and get reluctant  kids to eat their veggies. 

Ingredients 

1 large brinjal (coated in oil  and roasted until the skin is  black)  

2 tbsp tamarind pulp 

2 ½ tsp oil  

1 tbsp split black gram  2 tsp mustard seeds  

¼ tsp fenugreek (methi)  seeds  

6-8 red chillies 

3-4 green chillies 

10-12 curry leaves  

½ cup coriander leaves 1 tsp asafoetida  

Salt to taste  

Method 

1. Temper the gram in a wok  with oil till it turns golden. 2. Add mustard and fenu greek seeds.  

3. Switch off the flame and  add red chillies. 

4. Grind this to a paste along  with the other ingredients. 5. Mix well and serve. 

Pineapple Chutney 

Pineapple is a wonderful di gestive and hence a great ac companiment to any meal. It  is rich in the anti-inflamma tory agent bromelain.  

Ingredients 

500 gm pineapple 

150 ml pineapple juice 1 onion 

¼ tsp salt 

1 tsp ground cumin  

1 tsp ground coriander pow der  

4 ground cloves (lavang)  ½ tsp cinnamon (dalchini) ½ tsp red chilli powder ½ tsp nutmeg (jaiphal) ½ tsp. ground ginger (adrak) Juice and rind of ½ lemon  (limbu) 

Method 

1. Finely chop the on 

ion and the pineapple. 2. Put in a heavy pan  with the other ingredi ents and simmer, cov ered, over low heat for  30 minutes. 

3. Leave the chutney to  cool completely before  using. 

Ridged Gourd (Turai)  

SkinChutney 

We are always looking for ways  to be more sustainable, and  using the skin of a vegetable  is one such way. Packed with  vitamins, minerals, and fibre,  don’t let this one go to ‘waste.’  

Ingredients 

1 cup thick ridge gourd skin 1–2 green chillies 

1–2 skinned garlic (lasun)  cloves 

Salt and lemon to taste 

Method 

1. Take the ridge gourd skin,  add green chillies, salt, garlic,  and lemon, and grind it to a  paste. 

2. Serve with meals. 

Tomato Chutney 

Tangy and spicy, this chut- ney is full of the antioxidant  lycopene, which is known for  its anti-inflammatory prop- erties.  

Ingredients 

2 tbsp whole Bengal gram  (chana dal) soaked for ½  hour. 

3 tbsp sliced onions 

250 gm chopped tomatoes 3 whole red chillies  

1 tsp oil 

½ tbsp mustard seeds  

1 pinch turmeric  

1 pinch asafoetida  

Salt to taste 

Method  

1. In ¼ tsp of oil, sauté the  Bengal gram. 

2. Add the onions, turmer- ic, asafoetida, tomatoes, and  salt. Cook well. 

3. Cool and then blend to a  smooth paste. 

4. In ¼ tsp of oil, sauté the  red chillies and mustard  seeds, and pour over the  chutney. 

Podi Chutney 

Idli and dosa are incomplete  without some Podi. Full of  healing spices and herbs,  this really packs a punch.  The calcium-rich sesame  (til) seeds add to the nutrient  quotient.  

Ingredients 

50 gm red chillies 

½ cup split black gram  ½ cup whole Bengal gram  ¼ tsp asafoetida  

100 gm white sesame seeds Salt to taste 

A handful of curry leaves  (dried) 

1 tsp oil 

Method 

1. Heat 1/2 tsp of oil and roast  both the grams together until  they turn golden brown. 2. Heat another 1/2 tsp of oil  and roast the red chillies. 3. Add asafoetida in the end  and roast for a few more  seconds and switch off the  flame. Leave it to cool. 

4. Dry roast (without oil)  sesame seeds. 

5. Dry roast curry leaves. 6. First, grind sesame seeds  for a few seconds and keep  them aside. 

7. Then grind the dal coarsely  and keep it aside. 

8. Grind red chillies with  salt and curry leaves to a fine  powder. 

9. Mix everything and serve. Wisdom 

Mint (Pudina)-Coriander 

 (Dhanya) Chutney 

This super easy-to-make chutney graces  my table at all meals. It’s high in folate,  fibre, and flavour. It can uplift any meal. 

Ingredients 

 4 tbsp chopped coriander 

 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves 

 1 or 2 chopped green chillies  

 ½ tbsp dried mango powder (amchur)   1 tsp black salt 

 ½ inch ginger 

 1 tsp cumin seeds  

 1 tsp lime juice 

Method 

1. Put all the coriander, mint, and chopped  chillies in a blender and mix well. 2. Add the lemon juice, mango powder,  and salt, and blend again. 

3. Serve.  

Naini Setalvad is a nutritionist,  specialising in lifestyle and  immunity disorders. Her  foundation, Health For You,  throws light on healthy food  habits

Date (Khajoor)-Tamarind (Imli)  

Chutney 

This sweet and tangy chutney is a power house of minerals and vitamins, especially  immunity-building vitamin C. 

Ingredients 

1 cup deseeded tamarind 

20 pieces deseeded dates 

1 cup jaggery 

¾ tsp salt 

½ tsp black salt  

¾ tsp red chilli powder 

Method 

1. Boil tamarind and jaggery in 2 cups of  water for 15–20 minutes on low heat.  

2. Squeeze and strain the pulp and keep it  aside 

3. Add salt, black salt, red chilli powder,  and dates to the tamarind pulp.  

4. Cook for 5–10 minutes on low heat. 

5. Keep it aside to cool and serve.  

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