traditional and healthy chutneys in Tamilnadu

this is for newbies and also people who are scared of making accompaniments, and a word of advice, don’t get intimidated by chutneys. easiest and healthiest. you can make them five minutes. and I think its only the mental block that everyone has. follow your instinct to make anything, you don’t need measurements. me including all our parents and grandparents used only eye and hand measurements and now the industry is making money out of measuring spoons in different colours and shapes. start using your gut instinct and everything will turn simple and tasty.

always get used to making all these everyday, because then cooking will not be a nightmare and you can streamline and work like a machine. the more you do the more comfortable you get.

1. for basic chutneys you only need uppu, puli and kaaram. (meaning salt, tamarind and red chillies). with these three people in villages used extra vegetables or nuts or seeds and made so many chutneys in different flavours. they also used it for travel.
2. don’t use store bought grated coconuts. just buy coconuts, break them and take out small chunks using knife. one grind in mixie and you have shredded coconuts. my aunt buys around 10 coconuts, breaks everything removes them into small chunks, places them inside the freezer boxes and whenever she needs in the morning, an hour before she removes the quantity she needs and then adds a little warm water while grinding. so fresh and tasty.
3. don’t ever use hands while grinding chutneys. gets spoilt fast.
4. if there are no green chillies, don’t fret, always use red chillies instead or pepper corns.
5. always keep roasted sesame seeds, and groundnuts handy.
6. you can store coconuts, ground nuts, sesame seeds, onions, garlic upto a month. so always keep them handy.
7. worst case you get dehydrated vegetables. like onions and garlic. you can use them for chutney powders.

Coconut chutney

I underestimated this chutney too much. not in terms of taste but in terms of nutrition. now I can clearly see my energy levels when I eat this chutney. it is the combination of all the nutrition facts that it makes this outstanding.

for 2 people: 1/4 of a coconut(fresh coconut will always be healthy and tasty)

2 green chillies, 1 clove garlic or a small 1/2 piece of ginger

chutney dhal or pottukadalai a handfull.

grind all together in a mixie or best is ammi or Aatukal

groundnut chutney

easiest if you have the groundnuts fried already.i know its all time consuming, but I tend to do this roasting jobs when I am in the kitchen making dosai or something.

remove the skin and store in a bottle or best in the fridge.

take a handful, add salt, 2-3 red chillies, or nowadays I add a tsp of chilli powder, then a small piece of tamarind. grind in intervals, otherwise the groundnut will start releasing oil. so add water at intervals and grind.

very tasty, nourishing. you can add ginger, garlic, coconut also to it to make it more tasty.

but am lazy so just the basics.

variation of coconut chutney

the same ingredients but you fry the coconut in oil for some time and then grind with red chillies. sema taste.

onion chutney

evergreen chutney. just randomly cut a few onions. in a pan, add mustard seeds, ullutham paruppu (urad Dhall), few red chillies, a little tamarind and then the onions. if you sauté well then the chutney has a beautiful consistency and colour.

variation of this is adding tomato. 2 onions and 2 tomatoes.

variation of this again is adding a handful of coriander

sesame chutney powder

nowadays everyone are eating seeds for various nutrition. but one nutritionist says that our older generation did not have as seeds but in the form of chikkis or laddoos or chutney powder.

sesame chutney powder is a powerhouse of nutrients and in our breakfast with idli and dosai we have it. dry roast washed sesame seeds, black preferably. when it splutters add salt, red chillies and little tamarind and when cold grind in mixie pulsing it, otherwise it will release oil. it should be a dry powder.

staple with idli and dosai is coconut chutney, sambhar and sesame powder. done for the days nutrition.

coriander chutney

village style chutney that we make. my aunt brings bunches and bunches of coriander from her fields. so much that we grind chutney in the grinder.

since this chutney is stored for many days, we use the village style.

wash the coriander well in a big broad container and remove only the leaves and wash again by transferring it into another vessel with water. atleest three times you need to wash because of the sand in the coriander. and cut into small pieces so that the coriander does not stick into the blades of the mixie or grinder. grind fresh with soaked tamarind, red chillies and salt.

that’s it remove with spoon. don’t use hands. and store it in an airtight container inside the fridge. remove with spoon as needed and keep it back in fridge. my mom stores in 4-5 small boxes and removes one box at a time.

mint chutney.

this is another aromatic chutney and full of goodness.

wash mint well and remove only the leaves. the sand will be at the bottom of the vessels.

saute for 3 to 4 minutes in sim. add 3 red chillies, a small piece of tamarind and salt.

grind using less water.

as a variation you can use coconut and coriander too.

instant garlic chutney

peel 5 cloves or garlic, add a tsp of red chilli powder, little salt and small piece of tamarind and grind all together.

curry leaves chutney

curry leaves a bunch, a pinch of turmeric, coconut few pieces, 10 pepper corns, one clove garlic and grind all these together. healthy chutney ready.