Bottle Gourd Chutney (Sorakaya Pachadi - Andhra / Telangana Cuisine)

 

         Bottle Gourd Chutney or Sorakaya Pachadi in the local Telugu lingo is a very delicious chutney that is full of flavors. Thinly sliced bottle gourd is sautéed along with garlic, green chilies and a handful of coriander leaves. It is then coarsely ground and tempered with mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida and curry leaves. Roasted sesame, roasted peanuts and fresh grated coconut can also be added for enhanced flavor. 

         

           This simple and easy to prepare Pachadi is best relished with hot steamed rice-ghee combo, with chapatis, as a spread on toasts / parathas, with any South Indian breakfast like idli, dosa, vada, and finally as a dip along with some vegetable crudités or chips. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of this amazing chutney

• 1 medium size bottle gourd
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 5-6 garlic, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. lime juice

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. urad dal

          Peel the bottle gourd and slice them. Soak in water to prevent from discoloration. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the chopped garlic and green chilies. Sauté till light brown.

          Now add the sliced bottle gourd, salt to taste, turmeric powder and roasted coriander powder. 

          Mix everything well and cook, covered till it is tender. Sprinkle water at times if needed.

          Add the chopped coriander leaves and continue to sauté for a minute. Switch off the flame and keep aside to cool down. Then blend coarsely in a mixer grinder. 

          Tempering - Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves, urad dal and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Then add the coarsely ground paste and stir fry for 4-5 minutes. 

          When done, switch off the flame and add lime juice. Serve with hot steamed rice, paratha or chapatti. 

Peel the bottle gourd & slice them. Soak in water to prevent it from discoloration. 

       Heat oil in a pan  temper with cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                Add the chopped garlic & green chilies. Sauté till light brown.

Add the sliced bottle gourd, salt to taste, turmeric powder & roasted coriander powder. 

Mix everything well & cook, covered, till it is tender. Sprinkle water at times if needed.

Add the chopped coriander leaves & continue to sauté for a minute. Switch off the flame && keep aside to cool down. Then blend coarsely in a mixer grinder. 

Tempering - Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves, urad dal & asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

Then add the coarsely ground paste & stir fry for 4-5 minutes. When done, switch off the flame & add lime juice. 

                  Serve with hot steamed rice, paratha or chapatti. 

Tomato Chutney

 

             Chutneys are an integral part of a menu in almost every household. The most common being the tomato, coconut and ginger chutney out of the various lot. So here is my version of Tomato Chutney.

          There are various methods pf preparing this delectable chutney. In this recipe I first sautéed the tomatoes along with some onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies and dry spices. This was then pureed to a smooth paste. I then poured a tempering of mustard seeds, dry red chilies, urad dal and curry leaves.

          This chutney goes well with any South Indian breakfast. They can also be mixed with rice and a drizzle of some ghee. It also tastes superb with parathas or as a spread on bread too. The options are a plenty. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing chutney.

• 3-4 tomatoes, deseeded & chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, chopped
• 3-4 garlic, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander powder
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 sprig curry leaves

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the onion, ginger, green chilies and garlic till light brown.

          Add the tomatoes, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt.

          Stir fry till everything is well mashed up. Keep aside to cool. 

          Blend the tomato into a smooth paste.

          Heat the remaining oil and temper with the mustard seeds, dry red chilies, urad dal and curry leaves. Sauté till it stops spluttering. 

          Then pour this tempering over the chutney and serve along with dosa, idli, pongal or upma.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan & sauté the onion, ginger, green chilies & garlic till light brown.

Add the tomatoes, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder & salt.

               Stir fry till everything is well mashed up. Keep aside to cool. 

                 Blend the tomato into a smooth paste. 

Heat the remaining oil & temper with the mustard seeds, dry red chilies, urad dal & curry leaves. Sauté till it stops spluttering. 

                 Then pour this tempering over the chutney.

                 Serve along with dosa, idli, pongal or upma.

Hummus (Chickpea Dip - Mediterranean style)

 

          This is a traditional Middle Eastern dip / spread, made of boiled chickpeas and blended with other ingredients. A very healthy and a nutritious dip which is usually relished with Arabic bread. However, it goes well with veggie crudités too. A few garlic cloves and Tahini or sesame seeds gives an unusual flavor. There is nothing like having a creamy homemade hummus for a comforting weekend snack. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this heavenly delight. 

• 1 cup kabuli chana (white chickpeas), soaked overnight
• 1 pinch of baking soda
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2-3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds / tahini paste
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp. chilled water / 2-3 ice cubes
• 1-2 tbsp. olive oil, red chili powder and few boiled kabuli chana to garnish

          Pressure cook the kabuli chana along with a pinch of baking soda for 5-6 whistles or till soft. Leave aside few to garnish. 

         When cool, blend with olive oil, garlic, sesame seeds, cumin powder, lemon juice and salt to taste. 

          Scrape the sides and blend again along with some chilled water / ice cubes till you get a smooth texture. 

          Transfer the hummus onto a plate / bowl. With the back of a spoon, create few swirls and make a dent in the center.  

          Pour olive oil, few boiled chickpeas and garnish with red chili powder, cumin powder and a sprig of parsley.

         Have it as a dip with falafel, vegetables crudités, kubus bread, pita bread or chips. It can also be had as a spread on breads and parathas, a la Indian style.

         Pressure cook kabuli chana with a pinch of baking soda for 5-6 

         whistles. When cool, blend with olive oil, garlic, sesame seeds, 

         cumin powder, lemon juice and salt to taste. 

      Scrape the sides & blend again along with some chilled water till 

      you get a smooth texture. 

    Transfer the hummus onto a plate / bowl. With the back of a 

     

     spoon, create few swirls and make a dent in the center.  

    Pour olive oil, boiled chickpeas & garnish with red chili powder,

    cumin powder and a sprig of parsley. Have it as a dip with falafel, 

    vegetables crudités, kubus bread, pita bread or chips. It can also

    be had as a spread on breads and parathas, a la Indian style.

Maharashtrian Garlic Chutney

 

            This hot and spicy 'Garlic Chutney' in the Maharashtrian style is a must have with Vada Pav. They compliment each other very well, without which, it simply tastes insipid. It is sprinkled between the pav halves along with the vada, green chutney and tamarind sweet chutney. 

          This yummy dry chutney can be prepared  in large quantities and stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for a couple of days. I sometimes use it to garnish my curries, dal or simply have it with hot steamed rice and ghee. It simply tastes divine. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 2-3 tbsp. garlic, chopped 
• 1 tsp. oil
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut 
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 1-2 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder 
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. dry mango powder

          Dry roast the sesame seeds and fresh coconut separately for a minute. Keep aside to cool.

  

          Heat 1 tsp. oil and sauté the chopped garlic till light brown. Keep aside to cool. Now grind the fried garlic, dry roasted coconut, roasted peanuts and dry roasted sesame seeds into a coarse powder. 

          Then add red chili powder, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder and amchur powder. Mix everything well and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week to ten days. 

          This chutney is a good accompaniment for vada pav. They can also be used for curries and dal. It tastes divine if had with hot steamed rice and ghee.

                                  Dry roast the sesame seeds 

                                 and fresh coconut separately for a minute. Keep aside to cool.

                          Heat 1 tsp. oil & sauté the garlic till light brown. Keep aside to cool. 

                          Grind the fried garlic, dry roasted coconut, roasted peanuts & dry 

                          roasted sesame seeds .....

                                  into a coarse powder. 

                       Add red chili powder, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder & amchur 

                       powder.

                       Mix well & store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week 

                       to ten days. 

                                  This chutney is a good accompaniment for vada pav. 

  They can also be used for curries & dal. It tastes divine if had with hot 

steamed rice and ghee.

Jhinge Khosha Bata / Bhorta (Ridge Gourd Peel Chutney - Bong style)

 

           Jhinge Khosha Bata is a traditional Bengali style chutney made from Ridge Gourd Peels. It may sound weird to many, but it is quite a healthy and a nutritious dish, as peels have the most nutrients and fiber in them. This chutney goes best with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some raw mustard oil. You can also relish with chapatti / paratha or as a sandwich spread a la fusion style. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional  delicacy.

               Ridge Gourd Peel chutney is not commonly heard of and is almost a lost recipe now. It remains a homemade delicacy prepared by the older generation and not usually served in restaurants. The recipe has travelled all the way from Bangladesh where it is very popular and is called 'Bhorta'. Veggie Peels are generally discarded, but if prepared in a chutney form, tastes simply yummy. 

               This is a family recipe passed down by my late mother who never used to discard any peels. The process of preparing it is very simple. You just need to blend the boiled peels along with garlic and green chilies. Then it is tempered in mustard oil with nigella seeds, dry red chilies and onion.   

              Besides ridge gourd peels, I also make similar chutney with the peels of bottle gourd, raw banana, pointed gourd and pumpkin. They turn out very yummy. So next time remember to preserve these peels and turn them into this delectable chutney. 

• The peels of 2-3 ridge gourd, boiled & drained
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 2 green chilies
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 whole dry chilies
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1 onion, sliced
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. of raw mustard oil 

          Blend the boiled peel along with garlic, green chilies and just enough water in a mixer grinder into a smooth paste. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chili and nigella seeds.

          Add the onion and sauté till light brown. 

          Now add the ground paste, salt and turmeric powder. Stir fry on a low flame till all the moisture has evaporated.

          Serve with hot steamed rice and with a drizzle of raw mustard oil. You may also relish with chapatti / paratha or as a sandwich spread.

                        Blend the boiled peel, garlic, green chilies & little water into a paste.

                               Heat oil in a pan & temper with dry red chili & nigella seeds.

                                  Add the onion and sauté till light brown. 

                                   Add the ground paste, salt & turmeric powder.

                                  Stir fry on a low flame till all the moisture has evaporated.

                             Serve with hot steamed rice & with a drizzle of raw mustard oil.