Green Chilli and Coconut Chutney

I grew up in Tamil Nadu, India. I love my dosas, chutneys, and sambars. I've been trying to get this chutney just right and it's really hard to get the right consistency with a blender or cusinart chopper. Even now it's not perfect, but it's close enough for me to post it here! i've been experimenting and there's one ingredient in the list that will not make it 100% Indian and I will let you guess what it is in the comments section. Winner can get lunch/dinner cooked by me someday (feat. this chutney and dosas).

I did not measure since I was experimenting but here is the gist.


Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh grated coconut (can get this frozen in Asian and Indian stores)
1/4-1/3 rd cup ice berg lettuce
1/4 cup-1/2 cup coconut milk
Tamarind Paste - 2 teaspoons
6 jalapeno peppers (maybe 2-3 Serranos...adjust spice accordingly. I ran out of peppers :( )


Directions

In your blender, add the coconut, green chillies, ice berg lettuce, tamarind paste and some coconut milk. Hit the liquefy button and it will take about 15-20 mins of blending to get it to a nice chutney consistency. You basically want the liquid part and coconut and ice berg all blended together so that it doesnt separate out easily.

To get this consistency, you might have to add more ice berg lettuce. trial and error, my friends!

Cabbage-Coconut Salad / Koshimbiri

Whenever I visit my mother's family (they are big on seafood) this salad is always a side dish. I recently picked up a gigantic cabbage in the market and just had to try this out. It turned out really delicious. I enjoy the crunch and the mild sweetness of raw cabbage and how it works with the red onions and coconut.

Ingredients:

Cabbage, chopped up - 1-1.5 cups
Red Onions, chopped up - 1/2-1 cup.
Grated fresh coconut - 2 tbspns
Fresh thai Green Chillis chopped up finely - 1 (use 1/4-1/2 serrano or jalapeno)
Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped - 1 tbspn or so.
Freshly squeezed lime juice - 1-2 tspn
Salt to taste.

Method:

1. In a bowl mix everything with your hands, really get into it as if you are trying to make some dough. This is to ensure that that the flavors of the cabbage, onions, coconut, cilantro, and chillies intermingle. Tossing a salad works only if the star is your dressing...not in this case.

2. Add the salt and lime juice and lightly toss. I don't like my salad too tangy. I enjoy the taste of the veggies with the coconut quite a lot. Give it a try!

It is generally served as an accompaniment to meals...very delicious with seafood based dishes and rice.

Garlic Coconut Chutney

I love chutneys. Hopefully, with the success of this one, I will be making more.

Ingredients

1 large clove of garlic
3/4 cup shredded fresh coconut (if you have frozen fresh grated coconut, thaw it out)
1 Tbspn tamarind paste
Salt to taste
1 tspn red chilli powder
Some water or coconut milk

Method

1. In a food processor or blender, blend all of the above. The amount of water or coconut milk (for a smoother taste) you add depends, and generally you will need to add it so the ingredients can blend. I added about 1/2 cup. You might need more. The chutney shouldn't be liquidy or too dry, so add water/coconut milk with caution.

Serve with warm pita bread.

The chutney lasts well for about 10 days and makes a delicious quick breakfast along with pitas, if you don't mind the garlic breath, i.e.

Maida-Peetaché Bakri / All-purpose Flour Pancake

My go-to breakfast. Actually a lot of the Konkani breakfast recipes that I will be posting shortly are going to be my go-to recipes soon. I love breakfast. I don't usually eat breakfast except when my mom makes it and that's only if I visit India or if she visits here. Time has come to rectify that, so here is my konkani breakfast recipe #1 : maida (all purpose)peet (flour) bakris (dosa/bread/pancake/whatever; everyone should pick up konkani words anyway).

Makes about 4 bakris
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water (give or take, the batter should be fluid but not liquidy)
10 torn up Curry leaves
1 Serrano or about 3 thai chillies (fresh green chillies) roughly chopped
1/2 cup of fresh shredded coconut (can find this frozen in Indian stores)
1/2 tspn salt
1 tspn sugar (give or take)
Vegetable oil to cook the batter in a pan.


Method

1. Mix the flour and water until there are absolutely no lumps. To this add the salt, sugar, curry leaves, shredded coconut, and green chillies.

2. The batter should be relatively thick but not too thick that it doesn't fall off a spoon.

3. In a non-stick pan, add some oil and let it heat up at medium-low heat. then using your hand or a ladle, ladle out some of the batter and slowly spread it around until its about the same thickness all over.. a little thinner than a pancake. I just used my hands to spread out the batter.

4. Cover it and let it cook for about 5-8 minutes. then uncover, the top should be as in the picture. Turn the heat up just a little and let it brown up on the other side. Flip and let the cooked side brown up.

5. Serve with some butter! that's how I like it, but you could use any leftover curry or eat as it!