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.
