FOODIE SPECIAL ... CHUTNEY COUNTRY

FOODIE SPECIAL  CHUTNEY COUNTRY



Why stick to the coriandermint variety when our culinary diversity affords such a wide variety. Here are some lip-smacking recipes you can try

Chutney is a versatile accompaniment, a must in every Indian regional cuisine. An integral part of Indian cuisine, a well-made chutney can rescue a dish gone wrong or be used as a dip, dressing, or a spread. Aside from elevating the quality of a simple meal, Ayurveda suggests that chutneys balance the vatta and pitta (aspects of the constitution).

While the accompaniment is typically prepared with locally sourced fresh ingredients, no two communities make this condiment the same way. “In a Maharashtran household for example, various seeds, nuts, vegetable peels, coconut, chillies and lentils are ground into a chutney. If a bottle gourd curry is being prepared, the peel of the vegetable would be used to make a chutney,“ says food writer Saee Koranne-Khandekar, explaining why these dipping sauces are also nutritive. “The chillies used to make Ranzka have anti-oxidant properties while the methi seeds aid digestion.“

RANZKA

This fiery red chutney from Southwestern Maharashtra is a combination of seasonal, red chillies, salt and lime juice.

“If stored in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator, it can be stored for a whole year. You can decant small quantities as you need them and make a fresh tempering sauce (tadka) with mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida,“ says Saee Koranne-Khandekar.

MAVINKAI GOJJU

For food writer Anushruti RK, the onset of the mango season is the time for tambli (raw mango soup) and gojju (chutney), one of the first dishes she learnt from her grandmother. “One summer, as I relished a meal cooked by her and was particularly amazed with the taste of the raw mango gojju, I went and sat besides her with a notebook to write down the intricacies of the recipe,“ she recalls. The raw mangoes in this recipe from Karnataka can easily be substituted with tamarind, which is available through the year. “This piquant chutney is a great way to liven up any drab meal,“ she adds.

TAMATA NI CHUTNEY

The recipe for tomato chutney can be made by substituting tomatoes with all kinds of seasonal fruit and dry fruits too, says home chef Mahrukh Mogrelia. “The Parsis developed a taste for pickles and chutneys after their arrival in India. Now, we have delicious chutneys and pickles such as the bafenu, which is made with whole ripe mangoes, or the gajjar meva nu achar made with seasonal fresh pink carrots and dry fruits. Each family has it's own recipe,“ says Mogrelia who learned of this recipe from her grandmother.The chutney goes best with Dhan Dal (dal-rice) or mutton ras chawal. “It can also be served as an appetiser with crisps,“ adds Mogrelia.

RAJKOT LILI CHUTNEY

Food blogger Brinda Majethia remembers looking forward to her relatives' visit from Rajkot when they would bring packets of nylon chewdo, a delectable dry savoury snack and lili chutney from Rasikbhai Chevdawala, Rajkot's famous snack store.“This spicy and tangy chutney is very famous in Gujarat and is eaten with chips, khakra, thepla and even aloo paratha. The original recipe calls for limbu na phool (citric acid) but using lime juice is a more healthier version. Unlike coriander and mint chutneys, this recipe can be stored easily for 15 20 days,“ adds Majethia.

Sayoni Sinha

 Jul 02 2017 : Mirror (Mumbai)