Recipe Credit: Darshana Muzumdar
Serves 3-5 as accompaniment to dosa
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaf
- 2 onions
- 3-4 inches ginger (or more if you like a stronger flavour)
- 4 tbsp roasted chana dal –
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 lime sized ball of tamarind
- 2-3 tbsp jaggery or to taste
- ¼ cup water or as required
- 3 tbsp red Kashmiri chilli powder or 5-6 Kashmiri chillies or other red chilli powder to taste
- Salt to taste
For Tempering (optional)
- 1 tsp groundnut or coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp asafoetida
Method
- Chop the ginger, tomatoes and onions into small pieces separately and keep aside.
- Heat the oil in an iron or thick bottomed steel kadhai (Indian wok) and add the mustard seeds.
- Once they pop, add the roasted chana dal, curry leaves and red chillies if using them instead of chilli powder. Sauté for a few seconds and add the onions and ginger pieces. Sauté for a minute or so till the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the roasted chana dal, tomatoes, tamarind and jaggery. Mix well and add the water. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for around 5-7 minutes or till the tomatoes are soft.
- Add the chilli powder at this point if you are not using whole red chillies and turn off the heat. Add salt to taste and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
- Blend using a little water if required. Empty into a serving bowl.
- If you are adding the tempering, heat the oil in an iron tempering ladle and add the mustard seeds. Turn off the heat and add the asafoetida. Pour this on the chutney. Serve with dosas, idlis, wadas, pesarattu, or other such dishes.
For the Whole-Food Plant-Based (WFPB) version:
Use rock salt instead of refined salt.
Do not use oil for the chutney. Heat the kadhai (an iron kadhai works better) and add the ingredients in the same order. Add a tablespoon of water if the onion starts burning. Repeat adding water till the onion is soft and translucent.
Do not use oil for the tempering. Heat an iron tempering ladle and add the mustard seeds. Once they pop turn off the heat and add the asafoetida. Sauté till it releases its aroma and add this to the chutney.
