Kadalebele/Channa Dhal Chetni from MIL

Raw

Kadalebele/Channa Dhal Chetni from MIL 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups coconut freshly grated (or sliced )
• 1/2 cup channa dhal/kadalebele
• 10 red chilies (split)
• 3 tbs oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1" natural tamarind (1/4 tsp tamarind paste)

Seasoning (Optional)

• 1 tsp urad dhal
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 red chilies crushed into a couple pieces
• 4 curry leaves
• 1 pinch hingh
• 1 pinch turmeric
• 1 tbs oil

Blended



Method:

Heat 3 tbs oil in a pan till it is hot on medium. Add 1 tsp of mustard seeds and let it splatter. Then add the channa dhal, red chillies and roast till the channa dhal is nicely toasted and browned. Turn off the heat and add the coconut to the pan and swish it around. Pour the contents of the pan into a blender, add the tamarind, salt and about 1 cup of water. Blend this into a fine coarse paste. Pour the chetni into a serving dish.

Seasoning(optional)

Heat 1 tbs oil in a small pan till it is hot on medium heat. Add 1 tsp of mustard seed and let it splatter. Add the urad dhal and roast till the urad is nicely toasted and browned. Turn the heat off add the turmeric, hing, red chilies, curry leaves and swish the contents around in the pan for a couple minutes. Pour the seasoning to the chetni and mix well

Cooking Tips:

Add more or less water while blending the chetni as needed. Vary salt, chilies, tamarind as needed.

Serving Tips:

Serve with dose, iddlies or rice.

Coconut Chetni

Coconut Chetni

Raw

Ingredients:



• 2 cup coconut freshly grated (sliced)
• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
• 6 green chilies chopped (or 3 red chilies)
• 1 tbs oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 /4 tsp methi seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1" natural tamarind (1/4 tsp tamarind paste)

Seasoning (Optional)

• 1 tsp urad dhal
• 2 red chilies crushed into a couple pieces
• 4 curry leaves
• 1 pinch hingh
• 1 pinch turmeric
• 1 tbs oil

Grinded

Method: Heat 1 tbs oil in a pan till it is hot on medium. Add 1 tsp of mustard seeds and let it splatter. Then add the methi seeds, green chilies, cilantro and roast for a couple minutes and turn off the heat. Now add the coconut to the pan and swish it around. Pour the contents of the pan into a blender, add the tamarind, salt and about 3/4 cup of water. Blend this into a fine coarse paste. Pour the chetni into a serving dish.

Seasoning(optional)
Heat 1 tbs oil in a small pan till it is hot on medium heat. Add 1 tsp of mustard seed and let it splatter. Add the urad dhal and roast till the urad is nicely toasted and brown. Turn the heat off add the turmeric, hing, red chilies, curry leaves and swish the contents around in the pan for a couple minutes. Pour the seasoning to the chetni and mix well

Cooking Tips: Add more or less water while blending the chetni as needed. Vary salt, chilies tamarind as needed.


Serving Tips: Serve with dose, iddlies or rice.

Uddina Bele/Urad Dhal Chetni

Uddina Bele/Urad Dhal Chetni
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup urad dhal
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 pinch hingh
• 1 pinch turmeric
• 5 red chilies
• 5 curry leaves (karivapalae)
• 1/2 tsp tamarind ( 1" natural tamarind)
• 2 tbs corn oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method: Heat oil in a pan on medium heat till hot. Splatter the mustard seeds and add urad, hingh, turmeric and roast the urad till it is almost brown. Then add the chillies, curry leaves and roast until toasted. Add the coconut and swish it around the pan a little bit. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool. Pour the contents of the pan into a blender. Add salt, tamarind and blend with about 1 cup of water into a fine coarse paste. Pour into a serving dish.
Cooking Tips: Freshly grated coconut, green chilies, cilantro are not used in this dish.
Serving Tips: Serve with rice.

Kadale Bele/Channa Dhal Chetni

Raw

Kadale Bele Chetni/Channa Dhal Chetni
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Channa dhal
• 1 cup coconut freshly grated (or chopped coconut)
• 5 green chilies chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
• 5 curry leaves (optional)                                                         
• 1/2 tsp methi seeds(optional)



Roasting

• 2 tbs corn oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp tamarind paste ( 1" natural tamarind )
• 1 pinch hingh (optional)
• 1 pinch turmeric (optional)
• 1/2 tsp urad dhal (optional)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds



Blended

Method: Heat oil in a small dish till it is hot. Splatter the mustard seeds and add the channa dhal, urad dhal and methi seeds. Roast till they are all browned. Lower the heat to medium low and then add hingh, turmeric, green chilies, cilantro, curry leaves to the dish. Saute till the green chilies and the cilantro are wilted. Turn off the heat, add the coconut and swish it around in the dish and set aside to cool. Then add salt, tamarind and 1 cup or less of water to the contents. Blend into a coarse paste. Pour into a serving dish.
Cooking Tips: You can always substitute red chilies for green chilies. Make chetni as thick or runny as you prefer.
Serving Tips: Serve with iddlies, dosaes and on rice.



Manvinakai Chetni

Mavinakai Chetni:
Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw mango grated
• 1/4 cup coconut freshly grated (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp methi seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 pinch hingh
• 1 pinch turmeric
• 5 red chilies
• 2 tbs oil

Method: Heat oil in a pan on medium heat until hot. Add and splatter the mustard seeds. Add the methi seeds, red chilies, hingh and turmeric. Turn off the heat, swirl the contents around and pour it over the grated mango. Blend everything into a coarse paste with about 1/4 cup of water. Pour the blended chetni into a serving dish, add salt and mix well.
Cooking Tips: Coconut takes the sour kick out. If the mango is not sour, add 1/4 tsp tamarind while blending. If the chetni is made without adding water or coconut, it will keep fresh for long.
Serving Tips: Serve with rice, roti's, dosaes etc.

Onion Chetni

Onion Chetni
Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions chopped
• 4 to 6 red chilies broken
• 1/2 tsp tamarind paste (or 1/2 " piece of tamarind)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 pinch of turmeric (optional)
• 1 pinch of hingh (optional)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tbs oil (corn or vegetable oil)
• 1/2 tsp of methi seeds
• 1/2 tsp urad dhal (optional)
• 4 curry leaves(optional)

Method: Heat 2 tbs of oil in a pan on medium heat. Splatter the mustard seeds and add the urad dhal, methi, curry leaves, turmeric and the chilies. Swirl around a little to toast the urad, methi and the chilies. Add the onions and saute till the onions are wilted. Set aside to cool. Add salt, tamarind and 1/2 cup or so of water and blend the contents into a coarse paste in a blender.
Cooking tips. To avoid burning the urad dhal, methi, curry leaves and the chilies, toast them separately and then add to the sauteed onions.
Serving Tips: Serve with dosaes, iddlies rotis etc.

Squash Chetni

Squash Chetni
Ingredients:

• 3 cups of cut coyote squash( or zuchini)
• 5 to 6 dried red chilies or green chillies
• 1/2 tsp of methi seeds (optional)
• 1/2 tsp of tamarind paste
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• pinch of turmeric (optional)
• pinch of hingh (optional)
• 1/4 cup of cooking oil
• 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds

Method: Cook the squash in about 1.5 cups of water. In a separate pan heat oil on medium heat. Splatter the mustard seeds and add methi, turmeric, hingh and the chilies. Roast for a couple minutes and then add the cooked squash. Turn off the heat and add salt and tamarind. Blend the contents 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 dish for serving.

Cooking tips: Instead of tamarind paste you can add 2 tbs of yogurt.
Serving tips: Squash chetni can be served as a side dish for rice, flat breads, puris. Can be used in sandwiches, pita breads etc too.

Puli Keerai/Hulsoppu

Puli Keerai

Puli Keerai

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of cut spinach or 1 bunch of spinach ( rinsed and cut)
• 5 to 6 dried red chilies
• 1/2 tsp of methi seeds (optional)
• 1/2 tsp of tamarind paste
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• pinch of turmeric (optional)
• pinch of hingh (optional)
• 1/8 cup of cooking oil
• 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds

Method:

Cook spinach in about 1.5 cups of water. In a separate pan heat oil on medium heat. Splatter the mustard seeds and add methi, turmeric, hingh and the chilies. Roast for a couple minutes and then add the cooked spinach. Turn off the heat and add salt and tamarind. Blend the contents 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 dish for serving.

Cooking tips:

Instead of tamarind paste you can add 2 tbs of yogurt.

Serving tips:

Puli Kerai can be served as a side dish for rice, flat breads, puris. Can be used in sandwiches, pita breads etc too.

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