Quick and Flavorful Onion Chutney Recipe (Vengaya Chutney)

Looking for a quick and aromatic side dish to accompany your idlis or dosas? Try this delicious Onion Chutney, also known as Vengaya Chutney, which is bursting with flavor and requires minimal ingredients. This chutney was a quick go to recipe in our homes taught by my Mother in Law. Unlike other chutneys, this recipe relies solely on the sweetness and pungency of onions to create a delightful condiment that will elevate your South Indian meals.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-sized onions
• 4 round red chillies (adjust according to taste)
• Gooseberry-sized tamarind or 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
• 1/2 tsp crystal salt

For Tempering:

• 4 tbsp gingelly oil (sesame oil)
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• A few curry leaves

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Onion Mixture:

   • Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a flat pan. Roughly chop the onions and add them to the hot oil along with the red chillies.
   • Sauté until the onions turn golden brown. Be careful not to let them brown too much. Remove the pan from the heat.

2. Add Seasonings:

   • Sprinkle salt over the sautéed onions and red chillies. Add the tamarind (or tamarind paste) on top of the mixture. Let it cool down.

3. Grind into a Coarse Paste:

   • Once the onion mixture has cooled, transfer it to a blender or food processor. Grind it into a coarse paste. If needed, add 2 tbsp of water to facilitate blending.

4. Prepare the Tempering:

   • Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of gingelly oil in a small tadka pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
   • Add a few curry leaves to the hot oil and temper for a few seconds until aromatic. Remove from heat.

5. Combine and Serve:

   • Transfer the ground onion chutney to a serving bowl. Pour the hot tempered oil along with mustard seeds and curry leaves over the chutney.
   • Allow the flavors to meld for a few minutes before serving. Mix well before serving.

Serving Suggestions:

• Enjoy this aromatic Onion Chutney with hot idlis or dosas, drizzled with gingelly oil (nallennai) for an extra burst of flavor.
• It also pairs well with uthappam topped with coriander leaves and green chilly.

Tips:

• Adjust the quantity of red chillies according to your spice preference.
• Be cautious not to let the onions brown too much while sautéing.
• For a thinner consistency, add a little water while grinding the chutney.

Elevate Your South Indian Meals:

With its enticing aroma and delightful flavor, this Onion Chutney is sure to become a favorite in your kitchen. Quick to make and bursting with taste, it's the perfect accompaniment to your idlis, dosas, and more!

Delicious Tomato Sambar Recipe for Idly, Dosa, and Roti

Looking for a flavourful side dish for your favourite breakfast or dinner staples? Try this tangy and aromatic tomato sambar recipe, perfect for pairing with idly, dosa, or roti. Quick and easy to make, it's a sure fire hit at any mealtime.

"Tangy Tomato Sambar Recipe"

When you're in need of a delectable side dish for your idly, dosa, or roti, this tomato chutney recipe comes to the rescue! Bursting with flavor and easy to whip up, it's a must-try for any South Indian food lover.

"Ingredients"

• 8 medium-sized tomatoes (preferably country variety for optimal sourness)
• 8 shallots
• 2 green chillies
• 2 red chillies
• A handful of curry leaves
• 1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp hing (asafoetida)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp gingelly oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 cups thuvar dal (optional, pressure cooked and mashed)

Method:

1. Peel and chop the shallots into halves. Chop the tomatoes into small cubes using a chopper or knife.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then, add cumin seeds, hing, and turmeric powder. Saute for a minute.

3. Slit the green chillies and add them to the oil along with the red chillies. Add half of the curry leaves and saute well.

4. Add the chopped shallots to the pan and mix thoroughly. Cook over low flame, stirring continuously until the shallots turn glossy.

5. Increase the flame and add the chopped tomatoes along with 1/2 cup of water. Let the tomatoes cook until soft and mushy.

6. Mash the tomatoes well using a masher. Season with salt and bring the mixture to a boil.

7. Add the remaining curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves to the sambar.

8. Serve the hot tomato sambar with idly, dosa, or chappati.

Alu or Aloo Pitka - A side dish recipe from Assam

 Alu Pitika or mashed potato is a side dish recipe from North East India.

Ingredients:

Potato - 4 nos

Mustard Oil - 1/2 sp (if the smell is not preferred Gingely oil can be used)

Onions - 2 nos

Green chilli - 2 nos

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

Method:

Pressure cook potatoes. Peel and mash the potatoes. Chop the onions finely. Chop the green chillies finely. Chop coriander leaves finely. Mash all the ingredients together along with the mashed potatoes. Makes a great side dish for rotis and ghee rice.

This is similar to Potato Podimas dish of Tamil Nadu

Kadai Paneer - Using ready to cook mix

Tredy foods www.tredyfoods.com- A company that specialises in traditional snacks and sweets of India especially from South India. The sweets and snacks are native and unique and healthy which are delivered to the door steps of those who order it. Not just food but also kitchen appliances and utensils the traditional ones are sold by Tredy foods.

With a well knit network, Tredyfoods strives its best to serve its customers only THE BEST.

Tredyfoods have come up with ready to cook masala in three variants. Kadai Masala, Chettinad Masala and Pepper Masala.

With the Kadai Masala paste, I tried making Kadai Paneer. The best part of these ready to cook masala is that this contains oil, tomato, onion, capsicum, salt and all other spices. These are in a powder form and that helps in a mess free cooking. Kadai Paneer needs chopping grinding, marinating but this Tredyfoods ready to cook masala eliminates all these steps thus enabling the user to cook thier favourite and delicious meal quickly. These ready to cook pastes are very helpful to bachelors and working woman who want to eat thier favourite and delicious meal without struggling much in the kitchen. 

The masala mix is in dehydrated form and is made in the form of pickle or thokku and is packed in no air circulation method in vaccum pack that gives a shelf life of 12 months. 

Though the name Kadai Paneer, suggests that it is to be cooked in Kadai or wok, I tried making it in pressure cooker to make it even more quicker. As we wanted a dry version, I have used very less water too. 

Ingredients:

Paneer - 250 gms

Tredyfoods Kadai Paneer masala - 1 pack (50 gm pack)

Water 50 ml

Ghee - 2 tbsp (optional as the mix already contains oil)

Method: 

Cut the paneer into cubes. Immerse it in hot water for about 3 mins remove and drain. (This is to make the paneer soft). In a pressure pan (1.5 ltrs or 2ltrs) add 1 tbsp of ghee, Tredy foods Kadai mix, water and mix well. Add the Paneer cubes and mix thoroughly with a wodden laddle or a spoon. Ensure you dont break any Paneer pieces and all the cubes are coated evenly. 

Add the remaining ghee. Close the pan and set for 3 whistles on medium flame. Tasty Kadai Paneer is ready.

As the Tredy food mix contains all the necessary masalas and veggies there is no trouble of grinding them. Just open the packet and add it to the paneer or mushroom or baby potato. (Non-Veg lovers can make use of this masala mix to make Kadai Chicken)

Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves (optional).

Ginger Garlic Potato

Whenever I learn a new dish made of potato kids want me to try it out immediately and it happenned with this Ginger Garlic Potato recipe too. When I was describing the recipe to my kids they said mom please try it out and send it to school tomorrow. (Why to school specifically, I will be sending it in a box alone and they will not have the guilt that they were not able to complete it.) But they had liked it so much they wanted me to do it again. One of the few recipes that the kids loved after tweaking it a bit from the original recipe.

I have added the quantity that I have used but you can adjust it as and how you like it. This can be made both with baby potato and also equally cut regular potatoes. This makes a great side dish for rasam rice or vathakuzhambu rice or pulav or chappathi or roti.

Ingredients:
Baby Potato - 1 Kg
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 8 pods
Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
Jeera - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Sambar Powder - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:
Pressure cook and peel the potatoes. Make a paste of mint leaves and jeera.  In a pan add oil and when it gets hot add chopped ginger and garlic and saute a while add the potatoes and mix well. Add the mint jeera paste and mix well so that all the potatoes get coated well. Add the salt and sambar powder and mix thoroughly. Reduce the flame and cook till all the potatoes are coated with all the ingredients added.

Baingan Aloo Kuruma by Shripriya

Brinjal Contest entry posted by Shripriya Ramakrishnan

Ingredients:

Brinjal - 6 chopped fine
Potato - 2 boiled and cut into pieces
Tomato - 1chopped fine
Onion - 1 chopped fine
Ginger(1 inch)-Garlic(5 Cloves)-Green chillies (4 )- grind into a paste
Coconut milk - 2 cups
Garam masala powder - 1 tblspn

For seasoning: oil, sombu, mustard, turmeric
Salt - as needed
Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method: 

1. In a kadai put oil, add the items mentioned for seasoning.
2. Add the chopped onion, and fry till it is cooked fine.
3. Add the Ginger, garlic, greenchillies paste and fry until raw smell disappears.
4. Add the tomatos and cook well.
5. Add the cut brinjals. Fry until they get nicely cooked.
6. Add the boiled and cut potatoes, garam masala powder, salt, and the coconut milk.
7. Once it boils upto desired consistency, turn the stove off, garnish with coriader leaves.

Goes well with chappathis, puris, and also plain rice.

Variations:
1. We can add chole instead of potatoes and make this as baingan chole.
2. Instead of adding coconut milk, you can grind 4 tblspns of shredded coconut along with ginger, garlic, and green chillies and add it.

Baingan Partha by Vijaya Venkatesh

Brinjal Dishes contest entry by Vijaya Venkatesh

Ingredients:
Big Brinjal - 1
Green chillies - 6 to 8 ( chopped finely)
Coriander leaves - 1/4 bunch (chopped finely)
Dhaniya powder - 1 tea spoon
Haldi - 1 tea spoon
salt to taste
Wheat flour - 3 cups

Method:

Thoroughly roast the baingan , remove the skin and mash it well. Add all the ingredients with wheat flour along with baingan mash and make a soft dough , roll them and make paraths . You can add garlic paste to the flour also, if u like . Serve them with raitha .

Kathirikkai Gothsu by Bhooma Sudhakar

Brinjal Contest entry by Bhooma Sudhagar

Ingredients:

Brinjal – 5-6 pcs (medium size-finely diced)
Onion – 2
Tomato – 1
Tamarind extract - one cup (take a lemon size tamarind extract)
thuvar Dhal – cooked and smashed
Turmeric powder and salt as required.

Roast and coarse grind:-
Coriander seeds – 3 tsp
Urad dhal – 1 tsp
Channa dhal – 1 tsp
Red chillies – 4 (round chillies)

For seasoning:-

Musturd seeds - ½ tsp
Curry leaves – 1 string.

How to make :-
Heat the kadai, pour 2 spoons of oil and add mustard seeds and curry leaves.
When the mustard splutters, add onions and allow to saute till soft. Now add the tomatoes and mix well.
Tap in a pinch of turmeric and cook till the tomato-onion mixture is mushy.
Now add the diced brinjals and mix well. Then add the tamarind extract.
Allow around 5-8mints for the brinjals also to cook in to the mixture and get soft.
When its a little thick add the smashed thuvar dhal, add salt and pour some more water depending on what you want the final consistency to be.
Lastly add the grinded powder and mix well. keep it just for a mintute .
Normally it would be a little thicker than “Sambar” but thinner than a chutney or dip.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with Venn Pongal.
I just added smash thuvar dhal to subside the sour taste of tamarind water and enhance the flavour..so it is optional..

Paneer Manchurian - IndoChinese Dish How to make it at home?

When we eat out, kids love to taste something different and one such different item is Manchurian of any kind. And now, its time to make it at home as kids want it more. So for tonight's dinner I made Naan and Paneer Manchurian.

Ingredients:
Paneer - 250 gms
Onion- 4 nos
Tomato - 1 no.
Spring Onions - 3 stems
Green Chilly - 2 nos
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Soy Sauce - 1 tbsp
Tomato Ketchup - 1 tbsp
Corn Flour - 2 tbsp
Pepper Powder - 1/4 tbsp
Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Coriander Powder - 3/4th tbsp
Cumin Powder - 3/4th tbsp
Water - 1 cup
Oil- 1/4 cup

Method :
Cut Paneer into cubes. In a shallow bowl, mix corn flour, 1/2 tbsp salt, Pepper powder, Red Chilly Powder, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder. Add water to make it a paste. Mix well and ensure no lumps are formed. Add the Paneer cubes to it and let it marinate for about 15 mins.

 Chop onions finely. Grind tomato to a puree. Chop spring onion leaves into bits.

In a shallow pan add 1/2 of the oil and shallow fry the Paneer cubes till they become golden brown in colour. Remove drain and set aside. The marinated paste will be left out donot throw it off, it could be used to thicken the manchurian gravy.

In the same pan, add the Spring onion leaves and saute a bit. Add Green Chillies, chopped onions, Tomato puree, ginger garlic paste and saute till it emits a nice aroma, do the whole process in low flame. Add the Paneer Cubes and saute a while before adding the soya sauce and tomato ketchup.

If you want it dry just saute a while and switch off the stove and transfer it to a serving bowl and decorate it with finely chopped coriander leaves and spring onions.

If you want to make it as a gravy for side dish, then add a cup of water and add the left over marination paste and bring it to boil. Keep stirring so that it does not settle at the bottom.When it turns glassy, remove from flame, transfer to a serving bowl, decorate it with finely chopped coriander leaves and spring onions and serve with any Roti or Chappati of your choice or even Veg Pulav and Fried Rice.

Vendaikkai Masala/Lady's finger Masala

Ingredient:
Lady's finger - 1/4 kg
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 big
Tomato - 2 nos
Bengal gram dal - 2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Red Chillies - 4 nos
Grated coconut - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
Urad dal - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Method:
Cut the Lady's finger into 1 inch piece. Cut the onions into small pieces. Fry both of them in oil. Add little salt and saute well.

Grind bengal gram, chillies, coriander seeds, asafodeita, coriander leaves to a finer paste. Make a puree of the tomato. Cook the green peas along with and little turmeric powder. When it gets cooked add the grind masala, tomato puree and salt mix well. Add the sauted onion and Lady's finger and mix well.

In a seasoning laddle, heat oil add mustard seeds and urad dal and add it to the gravy. Makes a great side dish for chappati and poori.

Tomato Pickle

During tomato season it is always make use of it and make tomato pickles and store it.

Ingredients:
Tomato - 2 kgs
Red Chilly - 200 gms
Solid hing - 1 inch piece
Methi seeds - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Gingely oil - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Garlic pods - 24 pods

Method:
Cut the tomato into round slices and spread it in a plate or plastic sheet and dry it in sun for about a week till it becomes dry. Whenever needed soak a  few slices in hot water.

Fry methi seeds and red chillies and grind them to coarse powder. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and when it splitters add the tomato slices and garlic pods saute well without adding water. Add the turmeric powder, ground powder, salt and mix well. When the oil gets released out remove from flame.

Makes a good side dish for dosa or idly.

Fresh green Kothamalli Thokku

When u get a lot of coriander leaves in the market it is better to get  them and do thokku.

Ingredients:
Coriander Leaves - 3 to 4 bunches
Red Chilly - 12 nos
Salt to taste
Tamarind - a lemon size
Gingelly oil - 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal full - 1tsp
Asafodeita - 1 tsp

Method:
      Clean the bunches, remove just the leaves. Wash thoroughly and drain fully. Dry roast red chillies grind it along with tamarind  and salt to a fine powder. Add the coriander leaves and grind it again to a fine paste.

       Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add the urad dal, asafodeita powder add it to the ground powder. Grind it again.

       Store it in an airtight container. It can also be stored in fridge. Can be used for 1 week to 10 days. Use it as a side dish for idly, dosa, chappati, curd rice.

Carrot Sambar for idly and dosa

Vareity is the spice of life. Not only kids even adults want different kind of side dish for the regular idly and dosas. Here is one such dish that have a different taste and aroma. Though the cooking method of this is similar to Sambar, this will not be that good to mix with rice and eat.

Ingredients:
Carrot - 2 nos
Shallowts or Small Onion - 8 nos
Tomato - 1 nos
Coriander seeds - 1 spoon
Broken fried bengal gram dal - 2 spoons
Coconut - 6 spoons grated.
Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
Masoor dal or Moong Dal or Thoor Dal - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Methi seeds - 1/2 spoon
Curry leaves a few
Coriander leaves a few
Red Chilly - 2 nos
Green Chilly - 1 no

Method:
Pressure cook the dal and mash it thoroughly. Cut carrot in round shape and pressure cook it too separately.

Grind Coriander seeds, Broken Fried Bengal Gram dal and coconut to a fine paste. In a shallow bottom pan add one spoon of oil and mustard seeds. When it splutters add the methi seeds, Green chillies. Peel and cut the onions into halves add it to the pan and saute for a while. Finely chop the tomato and add it too and mix well. Now add the cooked carrot. Mix tamarind paste to 1 cup of water and add it to the pan. Bring it to a boil and when it boils add the ground paste.

Reduce the flame and bring it to a boil and when it starts bubbling add the mashed dal. If the sambar is thick add another 1 cup of water. Remove from flame and add finely chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves.

Heat oil in a seasoning laddle and add asafodeita and red chillies to it. Pour it on top of the sambar. Mix thoroughly before serving.

Serves a great side dish for idly and dosa.