Incredible Chutneys and Raitas

Raita

Ingredients

-250g yogurt
- 1/4 cup fresh milk 
-1 cucmber, peeled  fine chopped
-1 tomato, fine diced
-1/4 bell pepper,cut in thin stripes
-1/4 ts ground black pepper
-salt to taste
-1/4 ts Zeera
- few fresh mint leaves roughly chopped. 
- 1 hot green chilli fine chopped.

Nothing easier than preparing this excellent Raita. Pour milk into yogurt and stir with spoon to make thick creamy paste. Now add all other ingredients and yummy Raita is ready. Serve with grilled meats or why not to try simply with oven hot Nan.

Cucumber Raita

Ingredients

·         1 clove garlic

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) natural yoghurt

·         125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) light sour cream

·         1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

·         2 teaspoons finely shredded mint leaves

·         1 seedless cucumber, finely sliced

Crush the garlic with the salt using the flat of a knife on a wooden board, until a smooth paste forms. In a bowl mix together the yoghurt, sour cream, ginger, garlic and mint leaves. Finally stir in the cucumber. Serve chilled, as an accompaniment to a hot curry.

Banana Raita

Ingredients

·         2 tablespoons lemon juice

·         2 teaspoons sugar

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         a good pinch of chilli powder

·         1 teaspoon ghee or oil

·         1 teaspoon cumin seeds

·         1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

·         375 ml (12 fl oz/1½ cups) natural yoghurt

·         2 cups sliced bananas (about 3 large ripe bananas)

Stir together the lemon juice, sugar, salt and chilli powder. Heat the ghee or oil and fry the cumin and black mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds pop, pour over the yoghurt and mix. Fold in the bananas and the lemon juice mixture. If liked, 3 tablespoons freshly grated coconut or desiccated coconut may be added to the Raita. Serve with rice and curries.

Mint or Coriander Chutney

Ingredients

·         A great dip for Samosas

·         1 cup firmly packed mint or coriander leaves

·         6 spring onions, chopped

·         2 fresh green chillies, sliced

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         2 teaspoons sugar

·         1 teaspoon Garam Masala (see page 168)

·         4 tablespoons lemon juice

·         2 tablespoons water

Blend all ingredients to a pure. Serve as is, or mix with a little natural yoghurt if a lighter dip is preferred.

·         Coconut and Herb Chutney

·         1 cup desiccated or freshly grated coconut

·         4 spring onions or 1 medium onion, chopped

·         ½ cup lime or lemon juice

·         ½ cup mint or coriander leaves

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1 teaspoon ghee or oil

·         2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

·         2 teaspoons cumin seeds

If using desiccated coconut put into a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons water or sufficient to moisten all the coconut. Put the onions, lime or lemon juice and fresh herbs into the blender and liquidize. Add salt and coconut and blend again to make a thick puree. Heat ghee or oil in a small pan and fry the mustard and cumin seeds, stirring, until mustard seeds pop. Pour over the coconut mixture and mix with a spoon. Serve in a small dish as an accompaniment

Aaloo Bukharay Ki Chutney

Ingredients

-1/4 kg Dried plums (aaloo bukharay)
-2 cups Water
-1/2 cup Sugar or to taste
-Salt To taste
-peppers (ground) To taste
-Red chili powder To taste
-1/2 cup Vinegar
-Red food color (optional) One pinch

1.  Add water, salt, red chili powder, and peppers to dried plums and boil till they get soft.
2. Add sugar to them and cook on medium heat, until it melts and the mixture becomes a bit thick (for about 2 minutes).
3. Add food color, vinegar and boil for another minute. It is now ready to be served with Nan.

Imli Ki Meethi Chutney

Sweet tamarind chutney

Ingredients

- 150 gm soft tamarind (pitted) 
- 300 ml water
-300 gm fine sugar
-1\2 tsp. red chili powder
-2 tsp cumin (zeera)
-1\4 tsp. salt

1. Place tamarind and water in a food processor or blender and

 blend to a puree.

2. Put all of the ingredients in a heavy based saucepanand cook

 over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high and 

stirring constantly, cook for 12-15 minutes or until chutney is thick.

3. Store in an airtight container, in refrigerator. This chutney stay

 fresh for two weeks in the refrigerator. 

Note: This sweet chutney can be used in various dishes as a topping

 e.g. Dahi Bare, fruit chat.

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients

-tomatoes 1/2 kg
-white zeera 1-1/2 tsp
-garlic 1 tsp
-karhi pata 2-3
-oil 2-3 tsp
-sugar 1 tsp
-coconut 1 tsp
-whole red chillies 6-8
-black pepper 1/2 tsp
-lemon juice 4 tsp
-methi 1/4 tsp
-rai 1/4 tsp
-salt 1/2 tsp

Boil water and put the kari patta,rai and tomatoes in boilingwater for 5-10 minutes,so that the skin comes out easily.Now blend the tomatoes with all the above ingredients except oil and methi.After blending put in the pan and boil again.Heat oil and add in methi,karhi patta,rai and give bhigar on top of the tomato chutney.