Sunday, April 28, 2013

TOMATO CHUTNEY

With summer hovering on the horizon, the tomato boom will be upon us soon.
This chutney adds to summer fun by being a great spread, dip, or sandwich filling.
One of HD's favorite meals is chappattis and chutney.
I love this with idlis or as an accompaniment to a meal that needs a little spice.

A cousin from hyderabad shared this recipe with me when I visited her.
Hyderabad, being part of Andhra Pradesh, is known for it's extra hot dishes.
I changed her suggestion of 10-20 red chillies to 3-4, but other than that, this is a great chutney.

Ingredients

1Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp rai (whole mustard seeds)
2 tsps urad dal (split black lentils which are white without their skin)
1 tsp jeera (cumin)
A pinch of hing (asafoetedia)
10 curry leaves (karipatha)
Red chillies to taste.
1 medium sized garlic pod, peeled.
10 medium sized vine ripe tomatoes.
(Tomatoes have to be really ripe or add 1/2 a can of whole peeled tomatoes to them to get the right flavor).
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
Salt to taste.

Heat oil in a non stick skillet.
Add rai.  When it pops add urad dal, jeera, hing, karipatha and red chillies.
When jeera and urad brown add garlic and tomatoes.
Fry on medium high till mix thickens to a semi solid consistency.
Blend this.
Add peanuts, tamarind and salt.
Blend to a semi coarse consistency...fine is also okay.
Enjoy.
This chutney freezes well.

Tips: Don't add any water while blending...the tomatoes will give you all the liquid you need.

Roasted peanuts taste better in this dish though raw can be used.
In a pinch I've used the bottled roasted peanuts, being careful about the salt I add, if peanuts are salted.
Roasting raw peanuts at 300 for ten mins is easy.

Red chilles have to be fried to blend well...also fried red chillies gives a better flavor than chilli powder, unless the latter is home made.

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