Red Bell Pepper Chutney குடைமிளகாய் சட்னி

I made this chutney for Golu 2009. It is a great accompaniment to Roti, Idli and Dosa...

To make about 2 cups of this chutney you will need 7 to 8 Red Bell Peppers,
I have used a mix of red, yellow and orange, If you use all red, then it will be in an even more darker shade of red.

7 to 8 Red Bell Peppers - chopped
Oil - 3 Tablespoons
Mustard - 1 Teaspoon
Red Chili - 5
Tamarind Paste - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as needed

---> In an empty pan, (on a medium high flame) add 1 tbsp oil, and half of the mustard and once that sputters add 3 red chili to it an then the fenugreek.
---> Add the chopped bell pepper to it and start to saute it lightly
---> add the salt to it, and keep sauteing it,, it will shed some water and wilt
---> At this point, switch off the stove and let cool
---> In your mixer, grind this to a smooth paste
---> In the same kadai, (agian on a mediyum high flame) add the rest of the oil, and the mustard and once that sputters add red chilies, and then add this paste to the pan and mix well and cover the pan, (it will start to bubble)
---> After two minutes, mix in the tamarind paste and taste for salt
---> Cover the pan again and let this be simmering on a low to medium flame for about 5 to 7 minutes
---> The color this chutney will darken a bit.
---> Let cool and keep in a dry container

This will last for a month in the fridge (i bet you will finish this faster) as long as you don't use a wet spoon.

Rashmi's Thecha

My Friend Rashmi made this Thecha. It means to crush or to pound in Marathi.
Rashmi's Mother in law Mrs Meena, introduced me to this...
I had taken pictures of it a long time ago, but i don't know where they are. I will find it and post it soon....
This is made with Red chillies, Garlic, Lime Juice and salt nothing else,
and oh my god, it is just a great accompaniment to anything, dal, curry tofu, veggies etc.....
Her mother in law also makes one with spinach and green chilies, yummmmmmmm

Rashmi's Thecha was made with Red Chillies, Curry Leaves, Garlic, Salt, Lime Juice and a few peanuts...


Although I mixed some in my Tomato Bisque Soup (it was great), Mrs Meena made a roti (She makes the best roti in the world) and put some of this and some ghee and rolled it and gave it to me...
The taste was just heavenly....

Rashmi uses it in any thing she makes...

Chaat..........

M

great..

My friend Harshi invited me and a few friends for a sumptuous chaat feast.

It was a delicious evening!!! Am really lucky to have friends who make such good food!!...

Harshi was telling me that there is an order with which you eat chaat in Bombay, that is

you start eating by Bhel Puri, then Pani Puri, Papdi Chaat, Dahi Puri, and then end it with Ragda Patties. I am not sure about this order but you got to eat all of them.....

Bhel Puri

The tradional Bhel has these ingredients...

Murmura (called Arisi Pori in Tamil ) (sauteed till it is crisp with a little oil, turmeric powder)

Potatoes (Boiled and peeled)cut in to very small cubes

Onions (finely chopped)

Coriander (Fineky Chopped)

Mango (peeled and grated)

Papdi (you get in most indian stores, this is optional)

Fine Sev (you get this also in Indian Stores)

Green Chutney

Sweet Chutney

Spicy Garlic Chutney

I havent given any measurements for any of these because it really depends on how much u

like potatoes, onions, and how spicy u want it to be.

Method:

---> Start with a big basin and your clean hand, add the roasted murmura first,

--->Add the potatoes, mango and onions to it and mix well

--->Next hand crush the papdi and add to this

---> Add the chutneys one by one and keep mixing it with your hand as when u add the chutneys

one by one

--->Scoop some out in a bowl and garnish with sev and coriander....

Pani Puri

Pani Puri

Puri - you get these in the indian stores

pani puri water -

Potatoes (Boiled and peeled)cut in to very small cubes

Moong dal Soaked overnight, drained and pressure cooked

Sweet Chutney

Method

--->Break the puri's softer side with your thumb

--->Add very little of potato and moong dal

--->Add some sweet chutney

--->Fill up the puri with the panipuri water

--->Eat the whole puri (without getting choked :) ) this takes practice.....

Papdi Chaat

Papdi Chaat

Have to credit Veena in making this so beautifully in Harshi's House!! :)

Papdi - you get these in the indian stores

Potatoes (Boiled and peeled)cut in to very small cubes

Onions (finely chopped)

Coriander (Fineky Chopped)

Fine Sev (you get this also in Indian Stores)

Green Chutney

Sweet Chutney

Spicy Garlic Chutney

Method

--->Arrange the papdis in a nice circle

--->Add very little of potato on them

--->Add very little of onions on them

--->Add very little of Green Chutney on them

--->Add some sweet chutney, Garlic Chutney

--->Garnish beautifully with Fine sev and Coriander

--->Scoop some carefully in to your mouth (this also takes practice..... )

Dahi Puri

Dahi Puri

Have to credit Veena again, in making this so beautifully in Harshi's House!! :)

Pani Puri - you get these in the indian stores

Potatoes (Boiled and peeled)cut in to very small cubes

Onions (finely chopped)

Moong dal Soaked overnight, drained and pressure cooked

Coriander (Finely Chopped)

Thick Yogurt -- Blended well

Fine Sev (you get this also in Indian Stores)

Green Chutney

Sweet Chutney

Spicy Garlic Chutney

Method

--->Arrange the puriss in a nice circle

--->Add very little of potato and moong dal in them

--->Add very little of Green Chutney on them

--->Add some sweet chutney, Garlic Chutney

--->Pour some yogurt on them

--->Garnish beautifully with Fine sev and Coriander

--->Scoop one (at a time) carefully in to your mouth

Ragda Patties

Ragda Patties (For 2)

Ragda is usually made with White Vatana (Yellow whole peas)

Ingredients

Yellow Whole Peas - 1 Cup

Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - as needed

Method

---> Soak the Peas overnight

--->Drain them and add fresh water that it covers the peas fully

--->Pressure cook it with Turmeric powder and salt

When cooked, it should easily mash with your finger (with no effort)

Patties (for 2)

Ingredients

Potatoes (medium sized 3 or 4) -Boiled and mashed

Bread slices - 2

Chili Powder - 1 Tsp (optional)

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt

Method

--->Boil, peel, and mash the potatoes

--->Soak the Bread in water for about 10 seconds and drain and remove all water and mash and miz it with the potatoes.

--->Add some salt, chili powder and turmeric powder to this

--->(You could add some chopped coriander or mint leaves to this for a different taste)

--->Make small burger shapes and roast on a flat nonstick pan with little oil

The assembly

--->Take two patties

--->Pour some hot Ragda on it to cover the patties

--->Add bit of chopped onions, chopped Green chillies, Sev and coriander and eat!!!

Kulfi

And Harshi ended the meal with serving us Kulfi.

She made the Kulfi with a store bought (indian store) Kulfi Mix, but she had added some bread (soaked and mashed) to the kulfi mix, so it was very creamy and tasted sooooooo good...

Thanks a lot Harshi for a wonderful evening, I am posting this 3 months after....

I will post the recipes of the chutneys soon...

My Memories of Chaat in Chennai (Late 80's)

My earliest memory of Chaat is in Annagar near blue star bus stop, a place called Chaat Bhandar, it was really bad cos i Hated it...

and then I went on a two month trip to Bombay to visit my cousins, and they took me to Juhu, where it was great....

and then back in Chennai, There was a shop called Vitan, there used to be this small chaat shop right outside, and one of the best Bread Channa I had was there...

and then of course how can I forget the Bombay Sandwich guy, who used to sell out of his cart outside Prince Plaza.. There was one shop in Paris Corner also,

Let me know if anyone has eaten in all these places.......

Chutney for Chutney Sandwich

This is my friend, Mina's recipe. This is for making chutney sandwiches. I made them in the same food processor as the pesto.

You need

Coriander or Cilantro - 2 bunches, just cut of the ends and wash thoroughly (3 times under water and drained)

Green chillies - 10 to 12 (depending on your spice level

Skinned Peanuts - 1/2 cup

Garlic - 5 cloves

Salt - 1 to 2 Teaspoon (more or less)

Sugar - 1/2 Teaspoon

Lime - 2 to 3 (take the juice out and pour directly into food processor)

Method

Just grind everything to a chutney, Do not add any water to this, if needed add more lime juice....

You can use this to make the famous bombay chutney sandwich......

In Chennai, in the 80's we used to get this outside Prince Plaza, Egmore.

It is so delicious, spread it on a slice of bread, top with

Slice of tomato

Slice of cooked potato

Slice of cucumber

top with a dash of salt and pepper

Top with one more slice of bread spread with this chutney.... Yumm..........

Tomato Chutney (Tomato Thokku)

In Tamil, there is a phrase -

"All in All Azhaguraja"(Azhagu means Handsome or Beautiful and Raja means King)

Azhaguraja the guy has everything in his shop etc.

There was this character played by Actor Kaundamani in a tamil movie where he has a store and he rents out everything for the village.

I found this clip, the scene in which he claims to be "All in All Azhaguraja".

I am reminded of that whenever i make this Chutney, because it really can transform in to anything you want if you have this at home.

Some uses for this chutney in my house

--->As a spread for bread

--->Mix with hot rice and you have tomato rice instantly

--->Use it as a pickle for Curd Rice

--->Goes great with a soft Dosa as a chutney

--->Spread on a hot roti with ghee and this chutney and roll it up for an extremly yummy snack.

--->Serve on the side with Idli

(I make some small Idlis and roll them in this chutney lightly and put in a bowl before my daughter and it vanishes instantly!)

Now Don't you ALL agree this is an ALL in ALL Azhaguraja???

Whenever I shop for Vegetables, I go overboard when I see Tomatoes and invariably by too many of them. And after a week to 10 days of cooking, if I still havent used them then I make this.

I had 6 tomatoes leftover, and they were big, The oil to tomato ratio is for 2 big tomatoes use, 1 tablespoon oil. I dont make this too spicy since my kids also enjoy it and use it liberally. If you find the spice is too much, you can reduce it. The tomatoes I use are generally little sour, so this brings it to a better taste.

You Need
Tomatoes - 6 chopped
Gingelly Oil - 3 Tablespoons
Salt - 2 Teaspoons (more or less according to your taste)
Mustard seeds- 1 Teaspoon
Green Chillies- 3 chopped
Red Chili Powder - 2 Teaspoons
Hing- 1 Teaspoon

Method

---> First Chop the Tomatoes.
---> In a pan, add the oil (on a medium high flame)and the mustard seeds and once they sputter add the green chillies, hing, tomatoes and salt all at once.
---> Mix well and cover this and reduce the flame to a medium.
---> Go around the house and do your chores returning to the stove every 15 minutes to mix once and make sure the mixture doesnt get too thick.
--->After about an hour, you will see it become almost a liquid and the and also gone considerably low in the pan, please look at the picture above.
---> Once you feel this is thick enough switch it off and let cool.
---> After it cools down, transfer to an airtight container and treat it like a pickle, so NO wet hands or wet spoons. This will last as long as a month, or even lesser if you finish it faster :)


I have made some tomato rice with it....