Monday, February 28, 2011

Coconut Chutney for Dosa & Idly



I like seeing a blog entry every month. But normal home life is almost at a standstill with both kids being attacked by the most vicious of the cold and cough bugs going around. Trying to keep work commitments while planning alternate care for 2 kids who got sick one after the other is not fun. Trust me! Things have quietened down a little and so this is a last minute attempt to fill in the blanks with a draft I had for some time.

During  undergrad years most of us stayed on campus hostels but there were a few day-scholars living only a bus ride away. They used to graciously invite us to their homes once in a while to devour the delicious home made food which we were always happy to comply with. Having grown up in a dosa free household I was rather obsessed with dosa. Mainly with the eating of it:-) A lot of the credit for dosa's taste goes to the accompanying chutney in my opinion. Chutneys served in these friends' homes were always super yummy. Much as I tried I could never get a good chutney for my idly and dosa. But recently I did some adjustments to two of Mrs. KMMs chutney recipes and have achieved that taste closure. What is even better is that it is very repeatable. My husband even forgets the odd texture of the idlies - having been made with dosa batter in a hurry - and finishes away a decent bunch with aplomb all because of the power of the chutney. So here it is my beloved readers: a chutney worth making!

In The Mix
grated coconut - 1 cup
green chili - 2
ginger - 1/2" thin piece
shallots - 2 diced once or twice
fresh squeezed lemon juice - 3 tsp
yogurt - 2 tbsp
water - 1/4 cup or more as needed
salt - to taste

for seasoning
olive oil - 2-3 tsp
mustard - 1 tsp
shallot - 1 small thinly sliced
dry red chili - 3 or 4 torn and whole
curry leaves - a sprig or 2


How To Do
In a blender add together the water, yogurt and lemon juice. Add shallots, green chili and ginger and blend once. Add salt and add the coconut. Use ice crusher if using fresh frozen coconut. Grind well for a minute or two. Add salt and water as needed.

Heat oil in a pan and break the mustard seeds. Add sliced shallot, dry red chili and curry leaves. Saute for a minute or two. Add the chutney mix. Mix well, boil once and remove from heat. Eat with idly, dosa or both!

6 comments:

Reflections said...

For me the orange chutney is associated with the Kerala dosa and white chutney was usually had at some tamilian or kannadiga friends' house:-).
I make the white chutney too but without seasoning; just add some corander leaves & some peanuts & grind the mixture. Try it, u'll get a south indian hotel chutney taste;-)).

Glad to hear ur kids are better now. We had the same problem 2 weeks back; ofcourse it has cleared but right now the final exams are sapping our strength;-P

lan said...

We had orange/red chutney for flat appams and white chutney for idly. The friends homes had red chutneys but I was trying to recreate the texture and flavor and have a weakness for the white color. Yes, I can imagine peanuts getting us the restaurant taste but I have attained chutney contentment Nance and nothing can budge me:-))))

my friend in India was just telling about her son's final exams. groan: best of luck and good they are better now to prepare for it...

Rachel said...

You are so true about the chutney being tasty..HOpe the kids are better.

lan said...

yes they are better. thanks rachel!

Geeta Kakade said...

lan,
the grandkids just came over with germs for sharing so I know the feeling when everyone's down...hope yours are better and now have lots of immunity! I've been longing for a good chutney recipe and this one sounds like I might have found it. I don't like the taste of chutneys in restaurants here in the US and it really spoils the mood of the dosa or idli you're eating, but when I try this out I'll get back with a report!
I loved the part where the idlis were made with leftover dosa batter because that's the kind of stuff I do too!

lan said...

thanks geets! we are all better and even went skiing last weekend. hope you are over what you caught too. hope u will like this chutney. this is the only one i make these days come rain or shine:-)