Idli Chutney

Serves: Four persons. Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup Peanuts
1/4 cup Split Bengal gram (Chana dal, Senaga pappu)
1/2 tbsp tamarind pulp
1/2 tsp Salt or to taste
2 Dry Red Chillies or to taste

For Tempering:
1 tsp split black gram (Urad dal, Minappappu)
1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 pinches Asafoetida
3 Curry leaves (Kadipatta, Karuvepaku)
1 tsp oil

Method:
1. Break the Dry Red Chillies into pieces and dry roast them until they turn red-brown and give off an aroma, around 2 minutes on a low flame. Set aside. 
2. Dry roast peanuts until they are browned and give off an aroma, around 2 minutes on a low flame. You may use a drop of oil. Set aside. 

3. Dry roast the Senaga pappu until it turns light golden brown and gives off an aroma, around 1 minute on a low flame. Set aside.
4. When the ingredients from steps 1. to 3. cool down, grind them in the mixer with salt and water (around 1 cup) to make a smooth paste. Transfer the chutney into a bowl and mix in the tamarind paste. It may look runny initially, but the peanuts/bengal gram soak & absorb the water thereby improving its consistency.
5. Heat oil in a small saucepan or flame proof ladle. Add Minappappu. When it browns, add Heeng, Mustard seeds and Curry leaves. Turn off the heat. Pour this tempering over the chutney and stir it in. 

Variations:
Use more tamarind paste if you like sour tones. Some recipes include desiccated coconut powder or fresh grated coconut. You may also add green chillies during the grinding process. Yet others include garlic, though it is really not traditional.


Culture & Tradition:
This chutney is traditionally served with Idli or Dosa. 


Trivia:
This recipe courtesy Manju pinni.