Sukka Lasun Chutney (Dry Garlic Chutney)

 Sukka Lasun Chutney (Dry Galic Chutney) is a red, firey, spicey and yummy chutney that you will find in Maharashtrian homes regularly. This chutney is loved with simple varan and bhaat (dal & rice) and even with chappatis. My mother used to roll the chappati with this powder and molten coconut oil.......... oh it was so yummy and filling. Ofcorse the chutney at home was never too spicy as our tolence levels are pretty low 😏

We made this chutney this weekend. The plan was to make vada pav and this is the spicy chutney that accompanies it. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw peanuts

1/2 cup dried coconut (Khopra)

1/4 cup garlic cloves

1/4 cup sesame seeds (optional)

1/4 cup red chili powder -  add more or less as per your spice tolerance (I used kashmiri.......... but, you can use any type you like)

salt to taste

Method

Dry roast the peanuts on a medium low flame till you get a nice aroma and they turn golden. Remove them to a plate. You can remove the skin of the peanuts if you wish to. - just rub them and it will come off - blow it into the sink. Add the coconut and dry roast till its golden. Remove on a plate. Dry roast the sesame seeds till they start spluttering and then remove onto a plate. Peel the garlic and slice the. Roast on a low flame till they turn a golden color. Remove to plate. To this plate add the chili powder and salt. Mix it well. Let it all cool down completely.

Once the mixture cools down, add it to a mixer pot and pulse it 4 to 5 times. Check to see that the peanuts are ground - if not, pulse it again a couple times. There is natural oil in the peanuts and sesame and that is released when you pulse the mixture. Store it in an airtight container. I keep it in the refrigerator to maintain the freshness and aroma.

Preserved Lemons

I have always wanted to cook Moroccan and Mediterranean food. I even got a tagine for myself. One of the key ingredients used in the food there is preserved lemons. Firstly it was very very difficult to find them and then when I found the bottle, it was way too expensive.

I thought to myself - preserved lemons is like the simple humble lemon and salt pickle that my grandma (Mom's Mom) used to make - and boy.... it has been preserved for over 50 years now. I remember mom used to get that antique bottle of the lemon and salt pickle to serve with the humble dal and rice when we were sick - as that would give some taste to the the otherwise no taste in the mouth.
So, I made the preserved lemons myself and I can say I am very happy. Now to conquer Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine.

Ingredients

8 yellow lemons
6 tablespoons Himalayan Pink Salt (you can use any coarse salt)
1 teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
1 tablespoon vinegar (optional - I used it as a preservative)

Method

Wash ans scrub the lemons really really well. wipe them clean and let them dry on a towel for about an hour. Cut the stem or the stub off the lemon. Now cut the lemon into quarters - do not cut through - keep about 1/4 inch intact at the bottom.  Do this for 6 lemons.
The other two lemons get the juice out of them and mix in the vinegar and let it sit.
Open up the lemon gently on the cut area and sprinkle the salt inside it generously. Do the same with the other 5 lemons.
Use a nice and dry jar - big enough to hold six lemons and juice. Add some salt at the bottom and a pinch of the chili powder. Squish one lemon into the jar and really squish till you see the juices coming out. and filling the jar. Add a pinch of chilli powder and squish another lemon in the same way. Layer with chili powder and squish another lemon. Repeat this till all six lemons are packed inside the jar. Add any leftover salt and chili powder and then add the lemon juice with vinegar mixed in it. Note that the lemon juice should cover all the lemons to the very top.
Cover it and let it sit in a dry and dark place for about 2 weeks. Keep turning the bottle upside down atleast 2 time every day during these 2 weeks.
The rind gets softer and thats when the lemons are ready.
You can store this in the refrigerator for 6 months.

You can add spices like cinnamon, bay-leaf, sage, peppercorns, fennel, clove, cardamom etc - alone or in combinations to make these too.

This is traditionally used in Moroccan cooking. But, I like it as a pickle with dal and rice or even curd and rice. I am planning to use it in some Indian curry too in place of tamarind - lets see how that plays.

Coconut & Coriander Chutney with Yogurt

Ingredients

For Chutney 

1 cup coriander/cilantro - chopped
4 green chilis (add more or less as per spice preference)
1/2 inch ginger root - chopped
1/2 cup grated coconut
10 curry leaves
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

 for tempering/tadka

1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon split black gram/udad dal (its white in color)
5 curry leaves
pinch of asafoetida/hing

Method

Add all the ingredients in the 'for chutney' tab into a grinder and grind to a very fine paste. The coconut should be ground very well.
Remove it into a serving bowl.
In a small pan, add the coconut oil. When it gets hot, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then lower the heat and all the other ingredients in the 'for tempering/tadka' tab. Mix gently with a spoon till the split black gram becomes a golden color. Add this to the chutney in the bowl. Mix well and serve with dosa, adai, idli, uttapam.

Quick Guacamole (in the food processor)

It was one of those wintry February evenings when we were just too bored and were trying to think of what to do to make it a fun evening - the winter this year was too harsh and most of the times we were stuck inside the home.
So, it was going to be movie time with some chips and store bought salsa. But, then I saw this beautiful avacado that was sitting on my kitchen counter saying so lovingly....... pick me up.
So, we quickly whipped up this guacamole in the mini chopper (the handheld one) and savored it with some corn chips while watching Ice Age.

Ingredients

1 avocado
1/2 red onion
1/2 tomato
1 green chilli (you can add more if you want the heat)
juice of half a lemon
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
Chopped cilantro for garnishing (I did not have any cilantro and hence there is no garnish in the pictures)

Method

Cut the avocado, remove the seed and scoop the flesh into a mini chopper. To this add the onion, tomato and green chili, lemon juice, salt & peppers and mix in a pulse motion 5 to 6 times. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Savor with chips
Snack time - guacamole and chips.

Green Apple Chunda/Pickle

This year Christmas was just the 3 of us. We could not have a party at home nor could we attend any parties because I was just recovering. The hubby decided to make Christmas an event for us. So, it was roast chicken, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, stuffing, gravy and ofcorse cake.
I had asked him to get green apples for the stuffing. Sadly, I did not say - get just one. And he got about 5 of them. Only one was used for the stuffing recipe. The other four green apples had been in my refrigerator since then. Well, I am not a fan of green apples just like that - they are sour and tart. Hubby and kiddo refused to eat it just like that too.
Two days ago, I was looking at the drawers in my fridge to take stock before grocery shopping and I saw these apples looking at me. I knew I would not like to throw them, and I also knew that we would not eat them just like that. So, I started to think of ways to use all of them in one go. Mind was racing and I came up with many ideas - cakes, muffins, bread, pie ......... but, the one that took my attention was pickle/chutney. I remembered the shredded green mango pickle called 'chunda' and how we all liked it with parathas. So, instead of green mangoes it was going to be green apples. 

Well, traditionally this chunda is kept in sunlight for a couple of weeks to get that authentic taste. But, here in this weather - even if there is sunlight, its so so cold - I could not do the traditional stuff. So, the instant chunda came in handy. Its the same process followed by almost all - expect with a few tweaks here and there.

Ingredients

2 cups packed grated green apple (I used 4 of them - peeled and grated)
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 cup sugar (you can add upto 1 cup)
2 teaspoons red chilli powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

Method

In a saucepan add the grated green apple, salt and turmeric. Mix it well and let it sit for about 1 hour. The apple does not turn brown here and this process releases the natural water from the apples. After and hour, add the sugar and mix well till all the sugar melts. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. In that time, roast the cumin seeds, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds til you get a nice aroma and then grid it to a fine powder. Once all the sugar has dissolved, put the saucepan on medium low heat along with the cloves and the cinnamon stick. Keep stirring occasionally. You need to get the sugar syrup to get thick and all the water to get evaporated - the sugar syrup should be a half string consistency (when tested between the thumb and forefinger it forms a thread but breaks off immediately). To this add the chilli powder and the roasted seeds powder and mix well.
Once it cools down, you can store it in a dry and airtight bottle in the refrigerator. Like a chunda this should stay for a year too - but, the bottle in my house is already half empty. 

(update - we made it again and this time we had it in our fridge afor over a year - all good and still tasty.)
Savor it with parathas, rotis, dosas or even as a sandwich with bread. We like it with dal and rice or khichdi too.