Ridge Gourd Chutney

Here i am with my fav chutney. I love roti pachadi/ Stone n  Mortar chutney. Unfortunately, i dnt have that..Back in India, we used to have this chutney's  in meal for at least 3 times a week. I love them so much bcoz they taste gr8 n healthy too. My mom used to make chutney with all kinds of veggies. She used to make chutney, even with peels of veggies. They taste very gr8 with hot hot rice n a touch of ghee. They taste gr8 even with dosa, idli or any fried fritters..From that combination, i made Ridge Gourd n Bottle Gourd Peel Chutney. Today's chutney is made with whole ridge gourd.. 

Ingredients:
Ridge Gourd : 1, chopped into Medium sized cubes
Tomato: 1 medium, halved
Green Chili: 3-4, halved,
Red chili: 2
Channa dal: 1tsp
Urad dal: 1tsp
Cumin Seeds: 1tsp
Mustard Seeds: 1tsp
Coriander Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Tamarind Paste:  2tsp or small lemon size raw tamarind
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1tsp
Cilantro: 1 cup, finely chopped
Preparation:
1) In a skillet, heat oil n add ridge gourd cubes. Don't peel the skin..
2) Fry for 2 mins uncovered.
3) Add remaining ingredients except salt, cilantro n tomato. if  using tamarind use it now.. If using tamarind paste don't add it now. 
4) Fry for 10 mins on medium heat, covered.
5) Add Tomato n tamarind paste n cook for 2 mins uncovred.
6) Switch off n add half cup cilantro. Let it cool .
7) Grind it in a mixer to a smooth or coarse paste.
8) Spoon it into a bowl n add cilantro n remaining cilantro

Enjoy ridge gourd chutney with rice..

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Ginger Chutney

Last weekend i made Moong dal dosa/Pesarattu. On sat i made this dosa along with Peanut Chutney. But Vishnu asked me for some other chutney, usually that goes with moong dal dosa. He too doesn't know the name of chutney.. Later, i called my mom n i told her everything. With a laugh, she said its Ginger Chutney n I told that i had a big box of it, which she gave me when i am came here..She told me that its not the one i had, but its taste little bit same to the ginger pickle i have. She told me how to make it fresh. Do you know what happened.. I did it..On Sunday, Pesarattu was ready for Brk Fast with both Ginger Pickle n Ginger Chutney. Little bit spicy, little bit tangy, little bit sweetness makes this chutney a perfect companion to any kind of brkfast.

Ingredients:
Ginger: 1/2 cup, Peeled n cubed. If u want it spicy don't remove the skin
Urad dal: 1 tbsp
Channa Dal: 1 tbsp
Jaggery: 1 tbsp, adjust jaggery to your taste.
Tamarind: Small Lemon Sized

Coriander seeds: 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds: 2 tsp
Sesame seeds: 1 tsp
Green Chili: 4-5 or as you desire..
Red Chili: 2 flakes
Garlic Cloves: 2, crushed
Turmeric: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil: 2 tsp

Preparation:
1) In a pan heat oil n add channa dal. Fry for 30 secs. Add Urad dal n red chili. Fry for 1 min or until both dals turn light red in color on medium to low heat. Don't Burn them..
2) Stir in Coriander n cumin seeds and Green Chili. Fry for 1min
3) Stir in sesame seeds n ginger. Fry for 1min n switch off.
4) Let it cool n grind it to a smooth paste by adding turmeric, tamarind, garlic cloves n jaggery with little water..

Serve with Pesarattu, Dosa or Idli.


This is going to be a part of  Cooking Basics Event of Mahima's Kitchen and to 
 Cooking with seeds guest hosted by Food for 7 stages of life of RV Started by Priya of Priya's easy n tasty recipes..

Stay tuned for Pesarattu n Upma

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Cranberry Chutney

I was searching internet for the benefits of cranberry, as they step in to my kitchen. I cam across lots of cranberry chutney pages in search results.. So imm i thought of making my own version of cranberry chutney in Indian style first. I used to bring cranberry juice previously, but one day these bright colored little ones attracted me. When i tasted it,my taste buds sensed a familiar taste---Ragi Pallu or Ziziphus jujuba family. But cranberry,s are little bitter n  cant eat them as raw.. So made them into chutney or spicy jam. It taste's very good with sandwich, biscuits n chapathi ...

So here is the recipe for Cranberry Chutney
Ingredients:
Cranberry: 1  packet
Onion: 1 small, chopped into chunks
Anaheim peppers: 3, chopped into chunks
Serrano Peppers: 2 chopped
Sesame seeds: 1tbsp
Jaggery: 2tsp
Coriander seeds: 1tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Cilantro: 1 bunch, chopped
Oil: 2tsp

Preparation:
1) In a skillet, heat oil. Add onions n chili's. Fry for 2 mins on medium heta.
2) Add washed n drained cranberry's. Cook for 5 mins on medium heat or until the skin wilts.

3) Stir in Coriander seeds n cumin seeds n jaggery. cook for 1 min n switch off the stove..
4) Add cilantro n let it cool.
5) Grind it to a smooth paste without adding water If required add very little amount of water.
6) Spoon it into a glass jar.

Use as a spread on sandwiches or biscuits. Tastes very gr8 with chapathi's..

Tip: Cranberry reacts with plastic. So be careful with that..

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Sorakaya Pachadhi/ Bottle Gourd/ Lauki/ Anapakaya Chutney

Bottle Gourd belongs to gourd family, sweet in taste, this vegetable is used in various forms. One can make from sweet to snack with bottle gourd. a small piece of leftover bottle gourd is sitting in my fridge after cooking Sorakaya bejjala pulusu curry   a spicy tangy curry made with whole some of spices.. Next day i made ridge gourd milk curry to sooth the stomach from the spiciness of bottle gourd curry. Along with it i made this bottle gourd chutney.. 
This chutney is made by roasting bottle gourd cubes n dals.. 

Ingredients:
Bottle Gourd: 2 cups, Medium size cubes
Tomato: 1 small, halved
Green Chili: 3-4, halved
Red chili: 2
Channa dal: 1tsp
Urad dal: 1tsp
Cumin Seeds: 1tsp
Mustard Seeds: 1tsp
Coriander Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Tamarind Paste:  2tsp or small lemon size raw tamarind
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1tsp
Cilantro: 1 cup, finely chopped

Preparation:
1) In a skillet, heat oil n add Bottle gourd cubes. Don't peel the skin..
2) For for 2 mins uncovered.
3) Add remaining ingredients except salt, cilantro n tomato. If using tamarind paste don't add it now. 
4) Fry for 10 mins on medium heat, covered.
5) Add Tomato n tamarind paste n cook for 2 ins uncovred.
6) Switch off n add half cup cilantro. Let it cool .
7) Grind it in a mixer to a smooth or coarse paste.
8) Spoon it into a bowl n add cilantro n remaining cilantro.

Enjoy this yummy Bottle Gourd Chutney with rice or dosa, idli..

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Cucumber Chutney/ Keera Doasakaya Pachadi--

Another healthy n tasty chutney from my kitchen. Vegetable raw chutney is one of those regular dishes in my kitchen. I make chutneys  at least twice a week accompanying with fry n rasam or pappu charu. Yesterday, i was on my way to walmart. I jus came out from my community and my hus is coming from work. He dint saw me, as he was in hurry to go home. I followed him to the apt n asked him to come with me to walmart. Unwillingly he came with me after a small threatening. When we are at  vegetable section, he asked me to take cucumbers n i was like ????.  He asked me to make cucumber chutney, as it is one of his favorites.( Its been nearly 2months, i bought cucumber).

Okay Okay, i will stop here n will rush to main content. Cucumber with its unique flavor n as a  cousin to our native yellow cucumber, gives us a divine pleasure... Mixed with chili's, tamarind, garlic, the cucumber chutney is a good healthy n tasty dish.

Source: own
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Ingredients:
Cucumber: 1, diced or sliced
Tomato: 2 medium, halved
Green chili: 3-4, chopped
Tamarind paste : 1tsp or small lemon size
Garlic: 4-5  pods
Red chili: 2 flakes
Mustard seeds: 1tsp
Channa dal: 1tsp
Cumin Seeds: 1tsp
Oil: 1 tsp

Preparation:
1) In a microwavable dish, heat oil for 20 secs on high, covered.
2) Now add Channa dal, red chili, Mustard seeds, cumin seeds n cook for 30 secs, covered.
3) Add, cucumber slices n 2tbsp water. Cook for 7 mins, covered.
4) Stir it well, n add green chili. Cook for 4 mins, covered.
5) Now add tomato n tamarind and cook for 3mins on 60 % heat, covered.
6) Stir well, n cook for another 1 min on high, covered. Add garlic pods

7) Let it cool, and blend it in a mixer.
8) Spoon it garnish with cilantro.

Note: Pan cooking: In a pan heat oil n add cumin, mustard seeds, red chili, channa dal  n roast it for 1min.
Add cucumber, green chili  n 1tbsp water and cook for 10 mins or until cucumber is tender on  medium heat, covered. Now add Tomato and tamarind. Cook for 2-3 mins on medium heat , covered.Add garlic pods n let it cool. Now blend in a mixture n garnish with cilantro.

Enjoy with Cucumber Chutney  rice or idli, dosa, .....

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Yellow Squash Chutney

Squash is loosely grouped into summer squash or winter squash, as well as autumn squash (another name is cheese squash) depending on whether they are harvested as immature vegetables (summer squash) or mature vegetables (autumn squash or winter squash). Well known types of squash include the pumpkin and zucchini.

In my town, all i have is wal mart and a local county store to shop for vegetables. So i do experiments with the available veggies. yesterday, i bought this yellow squash twins to make chutney. I started with a doubt how it tastes and ended with a big surprise, The taste is so delicious and tempting that we cant skip this vegetable from our list.
I made yellow squash chutney by adding bell pepper for spiciness, 3C's ( cumin, coriander n channa dal) for that authentic Indian taste, Tamarind for sour n sweetness  n the main important ingredient for chutneys, none another than... Garlic....... and last but not least cilantro for garnishing.

Source: own
Preparation time: 15 mins
Ingredients:
Yellow Squash: 2, chopped into small cubes or sliced
Green pepper: 1, chopped or u can use green chili,4-5
Tamarind paste : 1tsp
Garlic: 4-6 cloves
Mustard seeds: 1tsp
3C's: 1tsp each
Red chili: 2-3
Oil: 1tsp
Cilantro: for garnishing
Preparation:
1) In a pan, heat oil n add red chili, channa dal, mustard seeds. fry them for 45 secs.
2) Now add cumin seeds. and fry for 30 secs.
3) Add yellow squash pieces n 1/2 cup water n cook for 10 mins, covered on medium heat.
4) Now add, bell pepper or chili, tamarind paste n cook for 4-5 mins, covered.
5) Switch off n add coriander seeds n garlic cloves. Let it cool.
6) Now in a blender, grind the yellow squash mixture without adding any water.
7) Spoon it out to a bowl n garnish with cilantro.

Enjoy this tempting yellow squash chutney with rice along with a touch of ghee.


Note: If u want u can add tempering. Normally, i prefer chutneys to be raw.

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Zucchini Chutney

This chutney comes under one of those regular dishes in my kitchen. As, we don't have any Indian store near to us, i make experiments with veggies available in my area. Yesterday, i bought these zucchini in local store. It jus looks like cucumber but  tastes different. Garlic, chili n tomato goes very well with zucchini n with a touch of  tamarind, no one can tell exactly, what the vegetable is..

Source: own
Preparation time: 10mins
Ingredients:
Zucchini: 2, chopped into chunks
Tomato: 1, chopped into 4 pieces
Chili: 5-6, chopped into halves, or to taste
Red chili: 1
Garlic: 4-5 pods
Tamarind paste: 1tsp
Oil: 2tsp
Cumin seeds: 1tsp
Cilantro: to garnish
Salt to taste

Cooking:
1) In a pan, heat oil n add red chili. Fry for 30secs. Now add green chili and fry for 45secs.
2) Now add zucchini n pinch of salt. Cover n cook for 5-7mins or until tender, on medium heat.
3) Add tomato,  tamarind paste,garlic, cumin seeds n cook for 2-3 mins, covered on medium heat.
4) Let them cool n  transfer to a blender. Blend to a smooth paste.
5) Add slat to your taste n garnish with cilantro.
 U can add tempering if u wish. But i like the raw taste and it is healthy too..

Enjoy with rice, idli dosa, or as dip

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Beerakaya & Sorakaya Thoku Pachadi/ Ridge Gourd & Bottle Gourd Peel Chutney

I love chutneys made with fresh vegetables. Every vegetable has its own unique flavor. If it comes to my husband, he jus eats whole lunch or diner with chutney. That much we love chutneys that we cant waste  a single spoon of it. These  veggies  have such a flavor which gives mouth watering smell n taste jus with a touch of chili, cilantro and garlic.

Yesterday, I made ridge gourd milk curry /beerakaya palu posina koora. I always store the skin of ridge gourd to make chutney. I have some in my fridge, which i stored week back. So, now i had enough skin to make chutney. I stored some (5-6) cubes of ridge gourd for chutney from yesterday's one.
I used to through peels before, but one day my mom said, how to make chutneys from skins of veggies. Now, i wont wast even a single strand of it, Of course, i try all chutney's with all vegetable peels n they turn out to be gr8..
Source:own
preparation time: 10 mins
cooking time 10 mins


Ingredients:
Ridge gourd Peel : 2 cups.
Green chili: 3-4, roughly chopped, or brk into 2 pieces
Red chilli:1/2 piece
Tomato: 1 large, cut into 4 pieces
Garlic cloves 5-6
Tamarind: small lemon sized
Cumin seeds: 2 tsp
Channa dal: 1tsp
Cilantro: 1/2 cup
Oil: 2 tsp

Cooking:
1) In a pan, heat oil n add red chili, channa dal. fry for 30 secs. Now add ridge gourd peel, green chili, tamarind, cumin seeds n cook for 5mins.  Now add tomato n cook for 2 mins.
2) Let it cool down. Now in a mixer add the ridge gourd  mixture,garlic cloves n cilantro an grind it to a smooth paste.
3) garnish with cilantro.( if u want u can add tempering to it. U can also add finely chopped onion before serving)( can be stored up to 3 days if onions are not added)

Enjoy this chutney with plain rice with a touch of butter/gee, dosa, idli... endless list....

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