Chutneys as a part of a balanced meal --a Dose of nutrients and fibre

From a long long time before anybody derived the Food Pyramid, Indians used to balance their daily intake of food. In South India on a normal day the menu for lunch would be chutney, sambar or any one gravy with a vegetable, saar, a must, a bhaji and dahi and of course, rice.

Usually chutney will be made of the pulp of the vegetable or the peelings of the veg used for the sambar or bhaji. As we all know that peels do contain a lot of good vitamins and of course, fibre.

For example, to cucumber peels will be added green chillie and tamarind and salt and ground into a course paste and seasoned with a little oil and mustard. This is really a tasty chutney, goes well with rice , chappathis or even dosai.

The basic ingredients for most chutneys are Red dry chillies, udad dal, asophotida[hing], tamarind and salt. These ingredients added vary according to the amount of chutney one wants to make. These basic ingredients are for Curry leaves Chutney, Mint leaves chutney, coriander leaves chutney or the fresh pulp of red pumpkin,[ with the seeds removed] and padaval or snake gourd.Brinjal, this has to be roasted on a open fire or in the micro. peel it and proceded as per the other chutneys.
Ridge gourd or ridge gourd peels chutney can also be made. remove the string from the peel before cutting. the incridents are the same, udad dal red chillies hing and tamarind. increase the chillies as per taste, as the gourd bland by itself. cut the gourd into small peices. one way is it can be fryed in oil and then ground or grind it and and fry it in oil till the raw smell dissapears then add the dal and chillie powder. grind the gourd with the tamarind.

Method:

Curry Leaf Chutney

To make a cup full of curry leaves, you will need two spoons of udad dal, 4/5 dry chillies, a marble size tamarind, 1/4 tsp hing and salt to taste. Clean and wash the curry leaves drain the water. in a kadai fry the dal and chillies. remove from the fire. in the same kadai add a little more oil and fry the curry leaves till they look withered. Grind the dal and chillies coarsely, add the curry leaves, tamarind and salt, grind to the desired consistency. season with mustard.

This same method can be followed for all the above mentioned vegetables.

Raw Mango Chutney

Fry 8 red chillies and a little 1/2tsp methi seeds seperately.
Grate the mango coarsely.grind the chillies ad methi then add the mango and grind again to required consistancy. seosan with oil, mustard and hing. for variation a little coconut scappings can be added and also a little jaggery if the mango is too sour.