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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