It happens very often that your Kitchenpostcard authors get lost in a deep discussion comparing notes on recipes that they have in common, but not quite. Branching off from one topic to another, maybe an ingredient or method, our versions can often be so far apart that they end up being different dishes. At other times we find that things are in sync and take similar approaches to a dish, like this Punjabi Chhole recipe.
Recently, while discussing our mutual love for coconut in dishes, we discussed our respective Coconut chutney recipes that we happily polish off with dosas, idlis and everything else that needs a chutney on the side.
What does your coconut chutney look like?
Typically, the mention of coconut chutney conjures an image of a bowl with a rich, often chunky dip that is cream coloured with flecks of brown from the skin of a freshly grated coconut and a hot, aromatic tadka of curry leaves, mustard seeds and red chillies on top.
But, our discussion led us elsewhere. We arrived at what seemed to us a unique combination of adding fresh coriander to the chutney. Digging a little more, retrieving snippets from our memories of eating homemade chutney, we quickly arrived at the conclusion that as north-Indians we had only seen a certain type of coconut chutney. Sagar Ratna and a few other restaurants in Delhi serve a green coconut chutney that is sort of a cusp between the Hari Chutney and a Coconut Chutney.
Just the right amount of freshness – Coriander Coconut Chutney
But in homes (at Kanika’s parents’ home in Hyderabad and Sakshi’s in-laws place) the use of fresh herbs like coriander is done on a shifting scale. Also, interestingly, this practice ranges in methods and combination of ingredients from one region to another. So, while in Andhra and Telangana you might often find peanuts and sesame seeds in the chutney, in Karnataka you are likely to find garlic and tamarind along with a tadka using asafoetida, without any curd.
Our recipe treads on the middle path.
Read on for an easy Coconut Chutney for your Dosas, Uttapams and Idlis
Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Coconut (shredded, frozen) 1 cup,
Fresh Coriander 1/2 cup (or more as per taste),
Green chillies (small, spicy) 2,
Ginger, 1/2 inch piece (optional),
Curd (plain) 1/4 cup,
Water (lukewarm) 2-3 tbsp or more as needed,
Peanuts roasted (optional) 1/3 cup ,
Salt, 1 tsp (adjust to taste),
Black pepper (to taste).
Tadka:
Oil 1 tbsp,
Mustard seeds 1/2 to 1 tsp,
Red chillies 1-2,
Urad dal (optional) 1-2 tsps.
Process:
Start by letting the frozen Coconut thaw in case you don’t have fresh coconut. You can also use pieces from a freshly broken coconut. Wash and clean the coriander sticks, ginger and green chillies.
If using, roast peanuts in a heavy bottom pan or in the oven. Kanika typically, uses her countertop OTG.
Transfer the coconut, curd, coriander, green chillies, ginger (if using) in a grinder jar along with the peanuts.
Throw in salt and pepper to taste and some warm water to process the chutney to a smooth paste.
Take the chutney out in a bowl and keep aside.
The Tadka:
In a small frying pan, pour oil and heat on a medium low flame. Wash and pat dry the curry leaves. You may chop them.
Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and wait for them to start popping.
Add the curry leaves urad dal and dry red chillies and reduce the heat to low.
Cook by stirring continuously for about 10-15 seconds or till you see the colour of the dal change to a light brown and the red chilli puff up.
Take the pan off heat and pour the contents over the chutney bowl and hear the crackle.
Stir to mix the tadka in and serve the Coriander Coconut Chutney with dosas, idlis, vadas or uttapams.
- Coconut (shredded, frozen) 1 cup,
- Fresh coriander 1/2 cup (or more as per taste),
- Green chillies (small, spicy) 2,
- Ginger, 1/2 inch piece (optional),
- Curd (plain) 1/4 cup,
- Water (lukewarm) 2-3 tbsp or more as needed,
- Peanuts roasted (optional) 1/3 cup ,
- Salt, 1 tsp (adjust to taste),
- Black pepper (to taste).
- Oil 1 tbsp,
- Mustard seeds 1/2 to 1 tsp,
- Red chillies 1-2,
- Urad dal (optional) 1-2 tsps.
- Start by letting the frozen Coconut thaw in case you don't have fresh coconut. You can also use pieces from a freshly broken coconut. Wash and clean the coriander sticks, ginger and green chillies.
- Roast peanuts in a heavy bottom pan or in an oven.
- Transfer the coconut, curd, coriander, green chillies, ginger (if using) in a small mixie jar along with the peanuts.
- Throw in salt and pepper to taste and some warm water to process the chutney to a smooth paste.
- Take the chutney out in a bowl and keep aside.
- In a small frying pan, pour oil and heat on a medium low flame. Wash and pat dry the curry leaves. You may chop them.
- Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and wait for them to start popping.
- Add the curry leaves urad dal and dry red chillies and reduce the heat to low.
- Cook by stirring continuously for about 10-15 seconds or till you see the colour of the dal change to a light brown and the red chilli puff up.
- Take the pan off heat and pour the contents over the chutney bowl and hear the crackle.
- Stir to mix the tadka in and serve the Coriander Coconut Chutney with dosas, idlis, vadas or uttapams.
- If you like the chutney to be hotter, you can prepare the tadka earlier and process he chutney with the red chillies. You can also alternatively add more green chillies.
- You can use either the peanuts or the urad according to the availability of ingredients in your pantry.
- Skip the curd for a vegan version of the chutney. If you like to add sourness to the chutney, you can add a coin size piece of tamarind.
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nice mix !