The Story of Idlis: Chutneys and Accompaniments - Tomato and Onion Chutney

We hope you enjoyed our posts on the story of idlis and idli varieties. 

Today's topic is chutneys and accompaniments. Just like how we dip French fries in ketchup, mayo, or chipotle sauce. Idlis can be eaten with various "condiments" or chutneys/accompaniments. 

How do you enjoy eating idlis? Do you dip them into chutney, podi, or sambhar? Everyone in my family has their own preference. When I was little, I used to eat idli with sugar, believe it or not. Now I prefer to eat with different chutneys like coconut chutney or tomato-onion chutney. I also enjoy eating with chutney powder or sambhar. 

When my husband and I visited my grandma in India in late 2019, we ate idlis for breakfast every day for a week. We really loved the chutneys that were packed with the idlis. One of the chutneys was the tomato and onion chutney. Please see the recipe below. 

Ingredients

• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1" fresh ginger, grated
• 1 dry red chili, broken and deseeded
• 1 tbsp urad dal (black gram lentil)
• 3 cloves
• 4 black peppercorn
• dry tamarind (size of a walnut), soaked in little water
• ½ tsp salt (or as needed)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Ingredients for Seasoning

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp methi (Fenugreek seeds) or as needed
• 1 pinch Hing
• 3 to 4 curry leaves
• 1 dry red chili, broken into 1-inch pieces

Procedure

1) In a saucepan, heat oil on low/medium heat. Add urad dal and fry it until it turns reddish. Next, add red chili, cloves, peppercorn, ginger, and stir everything for 10 to 15 seconds. Then add chopped onions. Saute until the onions turn transparent; then add tomatoes, salt, and hing. Cook well for few minutes until the tomatoes are soft and done well. Cool it for 5 minutes.

2) Transfer the above mixture into a blender/ food processor, and add the soaked tamarind and blend to a smooth paste, adding additional water to the desired consistency if necessary. Taste to adjust the salt. Note: If the chutney is too sour or spicy, you can mellow it with a ½ tsp of brown sugar.  Transfer the chutney into the serving bowl.

 3) Heat oil for seasoning in a small tempering pan and add mustard and methi seeds. When the mustard sizzles, add red chili and hing and stir for 10 seconds. Add curry leaves in the end and give a few stirs and transfer the seasoning onto the chutney. Mix well and serve with Idli/ Vada or Dosa.

Quick and Easy Chinese Bitter Melon Chutney

This summer, we've been pampered with all the vegetables my friend's mom has been giving me from her garden. Every time I visit, she gives oodles of Chinese bitter melon, Asian melon, and peppers. She gave us so many that we've been making all sorts of dishes with them including the Chinese Bitter Melon Stir Fry I posted a few weeks back. 

This time we let the bitter melon ripen to yellowish color and use them to make chutney to eat with rice. WE LOVE RICE!!

Below is the recipe for this Chinese Bitter Melon Chutney. Check it out and let us know what you think. 

Ingredients

- 2 large and ripe Chinese Karela or Chinese Bitter melon, chopped

- 1 medium onion, chopped

- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, sliced

- 2 Tbsp chutney powder

- 2 Tbsp dry coconut powder

- 1 tsp tamarind paste (or walnut size of tamarind, soaked in water)

- 1 to 1-1/2 Tbsp brown sugar

- 1 tsp salt (or as per your taste)

- 1 to 1-1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Procedure

Heat oil in a medium saucepan and saute onions and garlic for 2 minutes until onions are translucent. Then add the bitter melon and salt, saute for an additional 5 to 6 minutes or until the bitter melon is cooked. Allow it to cool. In a blender, add the sauteed bitter melon, and the remaining ingredients and grind to smooth consistency. Adjust the salt as per your taste.

The Chinese Bitter Melon Chutney is ready to be enjoyed with your favorite rice or roti. Bona Appetit!!

Hope you enjoyed our Bitter Melon recipes. Check out our recipes page for more delightful and easy dish ideas. How do you enjoy this not so bitter and healthy vegetable? Feel free to share. 

Green Apple Salsa

Have we got a treat for you! Today's recipe highlights two ingredients that are quite different from each other, both in taste and texture. One is an herb used as a garnish in many Indian dishes and the other is used to make America's famous apple pie. You guessed it, coriander and Granny Smith apples.

These two ingredients are combined to make one sweet and tangy flavored sauce which we like to call Green Apple Salsa. It's great for dipping your favorite chips. Ours is hearty pita chips.

Here's what you need to get started:
- 1 Green Apple (Granny Smith variety), cored and chopped into small cubes

- ¾ cup of Coriander/Cilantro leaves, chopped finely

- 3 Garlic cloves, peeled & chopped

- 2 Green chilies, chopped small

- 1 tsp of Peanut butter

- A pinch of Turmeric powder (optional)

- ½ tsp of Salt (Adjust to your taste)

Put all the ingredients except for the peanut butter and grind to a coarse texture. Now add the peanut butter and blend again to mix well. Taste to check the salt and adjust if needed. 

***Quick Tip: It can also be used as a spread on finger sandwiches instead of mint chutney.