Cilantro Chetni

Cilantro Chetni
Ingredients:

• 1 cup of cut cilantro (rinsed and pat dry)
• 5 to 6 chopped green chillies or 3 dried red chilies
• 10 curry leaves(karivaepalae) optional
• 1/4 tsp of methi seeds optional
• 1/4 tsp of tamarind paste
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1/2 cup of chopped or freshly grated coconut or 2"x 3" piece of frozen coconut (optional)
• pinch of turmeric (optional)
• pinch of hingh (optional)
• 1/4 cup of cooking oil
• 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds

Method: Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Splatter the mustard seeds and add methi, turmeric, hingh and the chilies. Roast for a couple minutes and then add the cilantro. Wilt the cilantro for 4 to 5 minutes and turn off the heat. Add the coconut, tamarind, salt and mix well. Blend the contents with about 1/2 cup of water till everything turns into a smooth texture. Add 1/4 cup of water or so if the ground content is very thick. Pour into a small dish.
Cooking tips: Adding a little bit of chopped sauteed onion gives the chetni a different flavor. By roasting 1 tbs of urad dhal along with methi also gives a different flavor. Instead of tamarind paste you can add 1 tbs of yogurt to make the chetni lighter in color. Add yogurt during the last spin around, in the blender. Always store chetni in the refrigerator. By adding coconut, the shelf life of the chetni is tremendously reduced. Chetni without coconut lasts for a long time. Chetni blended without water and coconut lasts even longer. Little bit of additional oil is used instead of water to make a thick paste of cilantro chetni.
Serving tips: Chetni can be served in a hundred million ways