Vara Milagai Chutney
Note:
1. The authentic Chettinad recipe uses Indian shallots (pearl onions) instead of big onions, so use them if you can find them and have the patience to peel them.
2. If you like the taste of raw onions, skip the tempering / frying process and serve the chutney raw. Ayah used to do this sometimes.
Ingredients:
1 medium sized onion, chopped roughly
1 medium sized ripe tomato (must be about the same size as the onion), chopped roughly
1 small gooseberry sized ball of tamarind or 1 teaspoon of tamarind paste
1 tablespoon chilli powder or 4 dried red chillies (reduce if you want it less spicy)
Salt to taste (about 1 tsp)
Tempering:
2 tablespoons cooking oil (gingelly oil / nallennai gives the authentic taste)
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp split urad dal
1 dried red chillis, broken into 2 pieces each
pinch of asafoetida (hing), either powdered or in dry form
2 pods of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of onion, minced (can reserve some from the above onion and mince fine)
Method:
1. If using raw tamarind (not paste), soak in ¼ cup of warm water and extract a thick juice to use. If using tamarind paste, use as is.
1 small gooseberry sized ball of tamarind or 1 teaspoon of tamarind paste
2. Add the onions, tomatoes, tamarind, chilli powder (or dried chillis) and salt to blender jar and blend to a coarse consistency. Additional water is not required as the onions and tomato will provide sufficient moisture.
1 medium sized onion, chopped roughly
1 medium sized ripe tomato (must be about the same size as the onion), chopped roughly
1 small gooseberry sized ball of tamarind or 1 teaspoon of tamarind paste
1 tablespoon chilli powder or 4 dried red chillies (reduce if you want it less spicy)
Salt to taste (about 1 tsp)
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the mustard seeds and the urad dal. When the mustard seeds pop and the urad dal turns slightly brown, add the dried chilliy. Fry for a few seconds and then add the Hing (asafoetida).
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp split urad dal
1 dried red chillis, broken into 2 pieces each
pinch of asafoetida (hing), either powdered or in dry form
4. Next add the minced garlic, fry for a few seconds and finally add the onions. Fry for a few seconds. The onion does not need to be fully cooked.
2 pods of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of onion, minced (can reserve some from the above onion and mince fine)
5. Take a tablespoon of the tempering and reserve to pour on top of the chutney at the end.
6. Add the blended chutney to the saucepan and fry until the raw smell / taste of the onions disappears and the chutney thickens a bit. Adjust the salt / spice as required while cooking.
7. Once cooked transfer the chutney into a bowl, pour the reserved tempering on top and serve with idlis, dosais or paniyarams, or even as a spicy dip for a vegetable platter.
Serves: 4
Apprentice Rating: Easy
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