I now put up my recipes...

here!

Mango Chutney with green chillies

Here is the second version of Mango Chutney, as promised. Only, it is a month too late. Sorry for the delay.

Ingredients

Raw Mango - one medium sized
Green chillies - 10-12 nos.
Salt to taste
Asafoetida - a pinch
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Cooking Oil - 1 tsp

Method

1. Wash and peel the mango and slice into large pieces.
   
2. Add the green chillies and salt and blend well in a food processor.
3. Heat some oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal and asafoetida. Let it sputter.
4. Season the chutney and store in an airtight container.
5. This can be had with dosa or idly.

Mango Chutney with red chillies

With the mango season around the corner and raw mangoes well on their way to the markets, chutneys, pickles and the like are a great idea. Here is a recipe for Mango Chutney, with red chillies. It can be had with dosas, bread or rice. Coming up, in a few days, is a variation of the chutney, made with fresh green chillies... but, for now...here we go!

Ingredients:

Raw Mango - one medium sized fruit
Red chillies - 15 - 20 nos.
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Cooking oil - 2 tbsps

Method:

1. Wash and peel the raw mango. Cut into fairly large slices and keep aside.
2. Remove the stem from the chillies and keep aside.
3. In a frying pan, heat one tablespoon of oil, add the chillies and fry until dark red. Remove into a food processor.
4. Now add the sliced mangoes. Fry until the mangoes are cooked tender.
5. Put in the food processor, add salt to taste and blend well. Remove into a serving bowl.
6. Heat the rest of the oil in the frying pan and add mustard, asafoetida and urad dal until they splutter.
7. Season the chutney and mix well. Serve with steamed rice, idlys or dosas.

Avial - A Kerala speciality

Avial is a Kerala speciality that uses plenty of vegetables and renders them all more edible than they would normally be. As with all other Kerala foods, this one too has plenty of coconut and coconut oil. Please don't try and replace the coconut oil with sunflower oil because you just won't get the same taste.

Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
Yellow Pumpkin - 100 gms
White pumpkin - 100 gms
Brinjal (Eggplant) - 4 nos.
Raw Banana - 2 nos.
Beans - 100 gms
Carrots (big) - 2 nos.
Potatoes (big) - 2 nos.
Broad Beans (Avaraikkai) - 100 gms
Cucumber (big) - 2 nos.
Elephant Yam - 100 gms

Note: You can use any vegetable that does not have a distinctive texture. Bottle gourd, courgette and similar vegetables would also be a good choice. If one of these vegetables is not available, you can go ahead and make avial with the remaining.

Grated Coconut - 2 cups
Green Chillies - 5 nos.
Cumin seeds - 2 tbsps
Sour curds (yoghurt) -1 cup
Curry leaves
Coconut Oil - 3 tbsps
Salt to taste

Preparation time: 45 mins

Method:

1. Chop all the vegetables to a uniform (and fairly large) size. In a large casserole, add enough water to immerse the vegetables, salt to taste and boil until the vegetables are well-cooked. Take care to check that there is not too much excess water in the vessel. The mixture must resemble a thick vegetable stew.
2. Grind the coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds together to a fine paste.
3. Once the vegetables come to a boil, add the paste, boil for 2 minutes and remove from fire.
4. In a frying pan, heat the coconut oil and add the curry leaves.
5. Once the leaves wilt, remove from fire and add to the vegetables.
6. Transfer into a serving bowl. Once the mixture is sufficiently cool, add the curd and mix well.
7. Avial can be served with many varieties of mixed rice, with Pudhina Chutney mixed with rice or with Bisi Bele Huli Anna (see earlier post).