Recipe- South Indian Style Coconut Chutney

This popular South Indian Coconut Chutney is made with tender coconut, roasted gram lentils, ginger, and green chili, topped with an aromatic tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves. South Indian meals are always a hit in our house. Kids love idli, and dosa, for dinner or even their lunch box. However, these are incomplete without chutney and sambar.

Ingredients

For Chutney

¾ cup Coconut grated (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoon Roasted Chana Dal (dalia)
½ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
½ inch Ginger
1 Green Chili Pepper adjust to taste
½ teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
½ teaspoon Sugar optional
1 teaspoon Lime or Lemon juice or Tamarind paste
½ cup Water adjust as needed

For Tadka

1 tablespoon Ghee or Oil
½ teaspoon Mustard Seeds (Rai)
½ teaspoon Split Skinned Black Gram Lentils (Urad dal)
1 pinch Asafoetida (Hing) optional, skip for gluten-free
1-2 Dry Red Chili optional
6-8 leaves Curry Leaves (Kadi Patta) washed and dried

Method

- Grind together all ingredients mentioned above for chutney.

- Add water in small quantities as needed to assist in grinding and to get the desired consistency. Remove and set aside in a bowl.

- Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add mustard seeds, and urad dal.

- Once the dal turns golden, add the asoefotida, dry red chili, and curry leaves.

- Cook for a minute, then turn off heat. The curry leaves would have turned crispy.

- Pour tadka into the chutney immediately. Gently stir it.

- Chutney is ready to be served with idli or dosa.