Coconut Chutney Kerala style

Ingredients for grinding

1cup chopped or grated coconut

1tsp chilli powder( adjust as per your taste, I use half paprika powder and 1/2 chilli powder to balance the heat still gives the chutney that beautiful pink tint)

Salt as per your taste

1tsp of shallot or onion

1 to2 curry leaves

Hot water as required


For tempering

1tbsp coconut/vegetable oil

1 tsp shallots/onion

1 or 2 dry whole chilli

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

Few curry leaves


Grind coconut and rest of the ingredients to a smooth thick paste

Transfer coconut paste into a bowl , add enough boiling water , don't make it too thin/runny

Heat a pan add oil followed by the tempering ingredients fry till deep brown add this to the chutney , mum says the chutney should not be transferred to the hot kadai and heated as it will split the coconut milk .

COCONUT CHUTNEY

Ingredients


FOR CHUTNEY


3/4 c Grated fresh coconut

1/4 c dessicated coconut (if not available, just use 1 c fresh coconut)

1" Ginger, chopped

3-4 Green Chillies (adjust to your spice tolerance)

1 tbsp Coriander Leaves (to give green specks)

1/2 tsp roasted jeera (I use roasted jeera powder)

1 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

Water, just enough to make grinding easy.


FOR TADKA


2 tbsp oil

1 1/2 - 2 tsp rai (I like lots of it, you may reduce)

1 tbsp urad dal (washed and soaked for 20 minutes). Then drain it and put put the strainer on a clean cloth to absorb extra water, or else there will be a lot of splatter when you add it to the tadka

1/2 for 3/4 hing (depending on how strong it is)

10-12 Curry Leaves

4-5 Dry Red Cillies

Urad Daal – 2 tsp

Salt – to taste


METHOD


Put all the ingredients for chutney, in the grinder, and grind adding little water at a time, till everything is blended well, but not to a paste.


Should be a little coarse, to give a nice texture.


Taste, adjust seasoning.


Transfer to a serving bowl.


Now tadka


Heat oil in a small pan.

Add rai, let them splutter.

Add drained urad dal. Cook it on medium low flame, stirring often for even browning.

When dal becomes a nice golden shade, turn off the gas.

Add hing, dry red chillies, stir.

Immediately add curry leaves.

They should just sizzle in the hot oil to impart flavour, but we don't want them to shrivel and/or change colour.


Pour the tadka on the chutney, ensuring everything is evenly spread.


This chutney tastes best when served chilled, so I put in the fridge for a couple of hours, and pour tadka JUST BEFORE SERVING.


Note/Tips


You may need anything from 1/2 to 3/4 cup water.

Don't add a lot from the start, or coconut will just keep moving in the grinder.


Add water after initial grinding, to get the consistency you want.

I don't like it too runny.


Add tadka just before serving, as rai, dal and red chillies taste best when crunchy.


Tadka can last for a couple of days, so add only to as much chutney as is going to be consumed in one time.

Khaman Dhokla

Proportion is very important to get the right texture, so have added pictures above, of the bowl I use for measure, and the plate (9") in which I steam them.


If your plate is bigger or smaller, increase or decrease the ingredients accordingly, to get the right height of the Khaman.

If its not high enough (at least 1- 1 1/2", it won't look and feel good 😀


Ingredients


1 bowl besan (regular, fine variety)

1 1/2 tbsp sooji

1 bowl water (exactly as much as besan)

3-4 tsp sugar (+/- as per taste)

1/4 tsp citric acid (no, lemon won't do)

1/4 tsp ground green chillies

1/4 tsp haldi (+/- depending upon the colour your haldi lends)

A tiny pinch of soda bi carb (yes, it is needed)

Salt about 1/3 - 1/2 tsp, or to taste

1 tsp Eno or any regular flavoured fruit salt (absolute must)


For tadka

1 tbsp oil

2 tsp rai (I put almost 3, as I love lots of rai on the Khaman)

1 1/2 tsp jeera

3/4 tsp hing

1 tsp til

1 tsp sugar

A pinch of salt

3-4 green chillies, slit lengthwise and cut into 1 cm pieces

1 c water (may need little more)


Chopped dhania and fresh, grated coconut for garnishing.


METHOD


Take enough water (should be below the stand/bowl level, but at least about 2") in a big vessel, in which you'll put a stand or an inverted bowl to keep under the thali.


Wrap the lid with a kitchen towel (as shown in the picture), cover the vessel and put it to heat.


In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except Eno.


Whisk well, taste and adjust to get a nice sweet and sour taste.


Grease the plate well.


Put the empty plate on the stand in the steamer.


Add Eno to the prepared mixture.


Mix briskly, and thoroughly, to get a bubbly, frothy batter.


Pour it in the plate.


Cover the vessel (don't forget the kitchen towel or any cloth, it is necessary to absorb the steam that rises up, or else the condensed water will fall back on khaman and make them soggy)


Steam for 12-15 minutes.


Meanwhile, let's get the tadka ready.


TADKA


Heat oil.


Add rai, splutter, add jeera, let it brown, then til.

Cook for half a minute and switch off the gas.


Add hing


Then, add cut green chillies.


Give a stir.


Add water, salt and sugar.


Mix well. Heat for half a minute.


BACK TO THE KHAMAN


After the mentioned time, remove the plate and pour 1/2 the tadka (ensure even distribution of rai, jeera, til and green chilly pieces).


With a sharp serrated knife, make diagonal pieces.

Add the remaining tadka such that it seeps inside the Khaman from the cuts and the sides (you might have to add little more water, as besan drinks up a lot to get the soft spongy texture)


Let the water get absorbed. On a serving plate, garnish with chopped dhania and coconut.