And Yet Another Chutney to Add to the List

Nariyal Chutney or Coconut Chutney

Okay, technically this one isn't new in the sense that I already have one called Nariyal Chutney or Coconut Chutney. There is never only one way to make a dish!

At the time I first attempted making a coconut chutney, I was living in South Dakota. Having an Indian Grocery store (or even an Indian restaurant) was only a fond wish, the closest being in Sioux Falls, 3½ hours away. Yes, the local grocery did have "fresh" coconuts. Heaven only knew how fresh that may have been. I also had no desire to make a huge mess trying to open up a coconut and work at scraping the "meat" out. And so it happened that when I finally decided to give Coconut Chutney a try, I opted to use grated, dry, unsweetened coconut. 

To be clear, to date, I had not ever even LIKED coconut chutney. No matter where I had tried it, no matter how many times, it was always just bland and blah. And this is just ridiculous, because I LOVE coconut! 

I plowed ahead with making a chutney from the dry coconut, soaking it first in an effort to bring it back to some semblance of fresh. Not. Didn't happen. I read countless coconut chutney recipes before even starting to cobble together my own recipe, and while most said to use fresh coconut for best results, they also stated that dried could be used. 

My resulting chutney was okay. Maybe better than the ones I'd eaten in Indian restaurants, but still not something great. I figured that since at least it tasted better than anything I had eaten to date, that it was good enough to post in my blog. But. I hadn't gone back to try it again. It was uninspiring. I think, if ever I did go back and use dried coconut, I might alter a couple of things. For example, I only had a jalapeno pepper in the fridge at the time so that went in. And the chutney was greenish. Not an awful thing, for sure, though not at all like all the pretty photos of pristine white chutney I had seen online. Later on I read that using a thinner fleshed green chili pepper is wiser, as it adds less green color.

Nariyal (Coconut) Chutney II

Altogether, while that chutney was okay in a pinch, now, with an Indian grocery far more accessible, and with fresh grated coconut in the frozen section, I figured I might just have to rethink the whole idea.

Not too many changes . . .

Truly, once I got down to looking at the recipe I had originally created, and despite re-reading probably 15 or more different blogs on coconut chutney, I couldn't come up with much to change. The biggest change was fresh (albeit frozen) coconut. That alone would make a huge difference. The use of a small Serrano chili instead of a big, fleshy Jalapeno  also made a huge difference. Other changes were small, such as using a little more tamarind concentrate than previously. 

The one, possibly biggest difference was the use of shallot. While most coconut chutney recipes online use no onion or garlic, apparently the Keralan people generally do use onion, and sometimes garlic as well. They do use it raw, however, and raw onion is generally not so good for my stomach. I opted to saute the onion only until softened, about 5 minutes. This was just enough. 

These small changes, along with the main one of using frozen fresh coconut, made such a huge difference in the outcome of this coconut chutney. It was magnificent. Here were the flavors I was wishing for. This one is finally worth making. If you have access to fresh, or frozen fresh coconut, I highly suggest this recipe!

A Note on Tamarind

I do use tamarind in this chutney. Some recipes call for it, and some do not. Some prefer to use lemon or lime juice as a souring agent instead, but I am a big tamarind fan! I am finding that with store bought tamarind, the viscosity of each brand varies widely. I had been using "Swad" brand Tamarind concentrate, with a viscosity similar to what I make if starting out with fresh tamarind pods, soaking and working from there. Recently I bought a different brand at this huge Patel's grocery, and upon opening this "Ashoka" brand, it was very markedly thicker. Not as thick as the "Tamicon" brand paste (that is difficult to even dissolve, it is so pasty), but possibly double the thickness of the "Swad" brand. I used two teaspoons of this thicker "Ashoka" brand in this recipe. All three of these brands term the product to be "Tamarind Concentrate." 

Nariyal Chutney II

(Using Frozen Fresh Grated Coconut)

Nariyal or Coconut Chutney II

Makes about 1¼ cups

¾ cup fresh grated coconut, or frozen (thawed) fresh grated coconut
⅔ to ¾ cup warm water
1 Serrano or Thai chili (remove seeds for less heat)
2 - 3 thin slices fresh, peeled ginger
2 teaspoons tamarind puree/concentrate
¾ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
2 teaspoons chana dal/Desi Chickpeas
1 very small shallot, or about 1 tablespoon, chopped

TEMPERING:
1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
⅛ teaspoon asafetida
2 dried red chilies, whole
8 - 10 fresh (or frozen fresh) curry leaves

Measure out the fresh grated coconut or the frozen and thawed fresh grated coconut and place in a blender container. Add in the warm water, starting with the smaller amount first, only adding more once your preferred consistency is determined, at end of mixing. Add in the chili, lightly chopped, whether without seeds, ginger slices, tamarind puree/concentrate and salt. Set aside.

Heat a small skillet and add in the oil to heat, then add the chana dal. Stirring constantly, toast the dal to a golden color, then add these to the blender container. In the same pan (adding more oil only if needed) saute the shallot for about 5 minutes, stirring, so as not to brown, and cook only until translucent and softened. Add the shallot to the blender and blend the mixture smooth. Pour into a bowl for serving.

For the Tempering, use the same small skillet and the tablespoon of neutral oil. Add in the mustard seeds and, stirring, once these begin to pop and splutter, add in the asafetida and stir for a few seconds until the lovely onion-like aroma is present. Add the dried whole red chilies and toss until they begin to puff and change color, then add the curry leaves and toss until their lovely aroma is apparent. Immediately pour this mixture over top of the chutney and serve. This chutney is great with any south Indian dish, and an absolute must with Idli or Dosa.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Going South Indian Without the Heat

I love Indian food. The flavors just absolutely do it for me. My husband enjoys the flavors as well, though he will not tolerate the heat. While I don't mind some heat to my food, I also do not want so much chili that I can't even taste the food for the spice. So, generally, I either eliminate or cut waaayyyy back on the chili called for in a recipe. I add only enough to make it piquant, without the fire. 
 

South Indian Lamb Curry

Indian restaurants, much like many other ethnic restaurants with fiery foods, often offer the heat in gradations. And still, "mild" is often too hot for my husband. I can normally tolerate medium. I know full well that learning to tolerate the heat of chilies and fiery spices is something that happens over time. Since I normally cook for my husband, I don't use a lot of chili. Therefore, my mouth hasn't been accustomed to the heat. 

South Indian Lamb Curry

All this is in preface to the fact that south Indian foods are known to be highly spiced and outright HOT. Yet my recipes are NOT. So this is a caveat: if you want the heat, please feel free to add as much or as little of either a chili powder (such as cayenne, or a Kashmiri pure chili powder, Resham Patti or other) or of hot green and/or red fresh chilies of your choice to any recipe. This recipe I am writing about today is one from the southeastern part of India; the state called Tamil Nadu.

Things that I have found to be more commonly found in southern Indian foods, aside from hot chilies, are things like tamarind, mustard oil, Panch Phoron (a mix of cumin, mustard, nigella, fennel and fenugreek seeds, most of which are in this recipe), coconut, and more fish and other seafood among many other items. Yogurt, termed "curd," is commonly used in many applications, from eating it plain or mixed with spices as a side to a dish, to using it as a marinade base. Yogurt seems ubiquitous all over India, but with these spicy dishes, yogurt is helpful. My recipe here below uses yogurt, hot chilies, tamarind, mustard oil and lots of brown mustard seeds. It is a lamb curry, and since our local Walmart store has started carrying a few cuts of lamb, this has facilitated my love of lamb curries. I used two lamb "steaks" for this recipe. In summer, one of these lamb steaks is enough to serve both my husband and myself, for dinner. I used two of them in this recipe, so we would have enough of the dish for another meal, tonight.

South Indian Lamb Curry

Serves 4 

1½ to 2 pounds lamb stew meat cut in 1-inch chunks, or may use beef
----- 

South Indian Lamb Curry

MARINADE:
⅔ cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons white poppy seeds, optional
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
4 whole cloves
3-inches true cinnamon stick, crumbled
1 (or up to 4) dried red chili, seeds removed, crumbled

---- TO MAKE THE DISH:
1 tablespoon mustard oil, or other cooking oil
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
2 medium onions, finely chopped
10 - 12 fresh curry leaves 
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh garlic
1 - 1½ teaspoons salt
(2 green chilies, minced finely)
(1 teaspoon pure red chili powder)
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
6-ounces water

Make the marinade: About two hours before making the dish, stir together the plain yogurt and turmeric in a medium bowl and set aside. Place the remaining marinade ingredients into a dry skillet over medium heat and stir or shake pan constantly until the spices are very fragrant. Pour onto a plate to cool, then grind the spices in a spice grinder and add to the yogurt in the bowl. Stir well, then add in the lamb pieces and stir to coat. Set aside for 2 hours.

To make the dish, if using mustard oil, first heat the oil to the smoke point, then remove pan from heat for a few seconds, before adding in the brown mustard seeds. If using other cooking oil, just heat as usual, then add the seeds. Allow the seeds to pop and splutter. This is easiest with a lid on, as they tend to fly out everywhere as they pop. Shake the pan constantly until the noise has slowed. 

Add in the onions and curry leaves and cook, stirring often, until the onions are golden. Add in the ginger, garlic salt, (and chilies and chili powder if using) and cook for about 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add in the tomato paste and water. Stir together to mix well, then add in the meat with its marinade and stir. Cover and bring to boil, then reduce heat to very low. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour, until the meat is tender, stirring often, and checking to see if the mixture needs more liquid. It should be on the dry side, but not burnt. Garnish with cilantro. Serve over rice.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Wonderful Chutney Recipe

I am not Indian, nor do I have any link to India in any way. But, I just love Indian food. I continually try out new recipes, and search and research to find what is common to an area. India is a large country with wide ranging climates, so foods eaten up in the northeast of the country will reflect the cooler climates, particularly in the foothills of the Himalayas, whereas southern climes feature fish, coconut and lots of chilies. 

Palak Paneer

When Indian food began creeping into America, the most popular type of food featured was in Mughlai style from the northern areas of India. This style was born out of the Mughul reign and was prominent in the royal households. Mughlai cuisine features lots of bread (roti) varieties, such as naan, parathas, and chapatis, among others, and many rice based dishes such as pulao or biryani. Sauces made rich with spices and nuts make many curries a delight to eat, vegetable dishes and things like Palak Paneer (creamed spinach with paneer cheese) are common (and found on nearly every Indian buffet I have frequented) and Garam Masala is the main spice mixture. Saffron is used widely, Ghee is used very often, dried fruits are used in many dishes. Amchur (dried green mango powder) is used as a souring agent.

Chapati - Paratha - Naan

Back some 15 or 20 years, few in the US seemed to know much about anything so exotic as Garam Masala, and while I had seen and tasted paratha and chapati, it was naan breads that seemed to take everyone's taste buds by storm. Nowadays, most groceries carry Garam Masala in little spice jars as a matter of course, and naan breads are available fresh or frozen. We've advanced far beyond Chicken Tikka. All those years ago, I lamented the lack of ingredients to make some of the recipes I wanted to try, and still, at that time, north Indian cuisine seemed to be all-encompassing. Little did I know!

It wasn't until about 10 years ago that my husband and I went to an Indian restaurant while on vacation, and as I perused the menu, saw some things I was unfamiliar with. Our server asked what kinds of things I liked to eat, and when I mentioned some that were particular favorites, he asked if I had never tried southern Indian cuisine. I asked what that meant - what is different? He laughed and said just about everything! I asked him to suggest something for my meal then, and he did, and it was delightful, though at this remove I cannot recall what it was. But that was the very first time I encountered an indication that all Indian food was not that northern Indian Mughlai style. It was still many years until I found enough of recipes and information to educate myself a bit more on southern Indian cooking.

Meanwhile, I have learned that southern Indians prefer lots of lentils and dal dishes, Idli and crepe-like dosas and appam (instead of parathas, chapatis or naan). Lentils, dal or other soupy style dishes are most common, and are also breakfast fare. Many dishes are made in a very thin soup style, rather than the richer, thickened sauces of the north. Other oils are used for cooking, and mustard oil is common. Tamarind is a common souring ingredient, and curry leaves are often used in dishes.

Last year, I read Padma Lakshmi's book, "Love, Loss and What We Ate." I have

My S.E. Indian Green Mango Chutney

seen Padma Lakshmi on some travel shows and always thought her exotically lovely. I never watched Top Chef, as we never got that channel, but that kind of show does not at all interest me. Knowing Padma was Indian, though not anything more than that, I delved into her book with interest, as I do with any reading material on India. Happily, throughout the book, she talks of her childhood and the things she ate, growing up in Tamil Nadul, furnishing recipes for many of the dishes she describes. I busily scribbled down the recipes that called my attention. One that I made was something she called Kanchanomer Tok. If I misspelled what she wrote, I apologize. It is a mango chutney or "pickle," which appears to generally not be cooked, but packed into a jar and put in the sun, normally. Padma's recipe did cook the chutney, briefly.

I somehow still had a half jar of that chutney left tucked in a back corner of my fridge, when I made an Indian meal for the three fishing buddies that came to stay at our place last week. One of the guys was most particularly taken with that chutney (his palate may be more Indian-aware, as he has Indian neighbors, and opportunities to sample!), and when the meal was done, he kept serving tiny portions more of that chutney and eating it with my naan bread. I finally told him to please just finish it off, as it was really time to start a new batch. He gladly complied! So now, with no chutney left, I felt it was time to look over the recipe and try it again. 

Mango Chutney British Style

One thing about this particular chutney / pickle, is that it is supposed to be made with green mangoes; actual green mangoes, so green that the fruit is crisp and the skin is often left on the fruit when making this chutney. In the US, short of living somewhere where mangoes grow, getting mangoes that green is not really an option. I look for the hardest mangoes available in the stores, but they are rarely completely green in color, being blushed with red already. Still, making do with what I have, the past year's attempt was very good, though very different than the northern Indian / British style Mango Chutney I had made in past. 

Panch Phoron Spices

For starters, southern India uses a spice combination called Panch Phoron, sometimes called Bengali 5-Spice. The seeds are all left whole, instead of ground, as with Garam Masala. Where Garam Masala has "sweet" spices mixed in, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and cloves, Panch Phoron does not, instead using brown mustard seed, cumin seed, fennel seed, nigella seed and fenugreek seed. This makes for a completely different and more pungent flavor profile. 

When researching Kanchanomer Tok, I found almost no mention of this mixture coming from anywhere other than Bengal, and the spelling has so many variations it is hard to keep track. Kanchan Aamer Tok. Kancha Aam er Tok. Kancha Amer Tok. Kanchan Amer Tawk. You get the picture! But apparently, it is made in other areas than Bengal, since Padma is from Tamil Nadu. In looking at the recipe, I chose to do a couple of things differently.

S.E. Indian Green Mango Chutney

Since the mangoes I was using are far from the very green ones called for, I added in both lime zest and juice to add a sour note. I added in some ginger, though I saw it used in only one recipe I saw online. Some recipes I read used only brown mustard seeds, and some used Panch Phoron, as did Padma. Some added in more chili, some less. This time, since this chutney will not quite do for my husband's palate anyway, I added far more chili to the mixture. This is, of course, always optional. Some people used hing / asafetida, and others do not. Sugar is used, though usually jaggery. Brown sugar may be substituted. Though sugar is used, it is still not of the type of sweetness as of my former Mango Chutney. Some people add in a lot of water, making it a soupy mixture, and others use very little, if any. So, finally, here is what I did:

S.E. Indian Green Mango Chutney

S.E. Indian Green Mango Chutney

Makes about 2 - 2½ cups 

1¾ pounds green mangoes
1-inch piece fresh ginger, cut in tiny julienne
1 lime, zest and juice
¼ teaspoon black salt (or regular salt)
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon hot pure chili powder, or cayenne
1 tablespoon mustard oil, or other cooking oil
1½ teaspoons Panch Phoron
1 dried red chili pepper, whole
½ teaspoon asafetida/hing, optional
¾ cup jaggery, palm sugar, or brown sugar

Wash and peel the mangoes. Slice off the flesh and cut into long strips, or into small cubes, as desired. Place in a bowl along with the ginger, lime zest and lime juice. Sprinkle on the black salt, turmeric powder and hot chili powder (NOT the chili powder used for making chili con carne). Stir and set aside while preparing the remainder of the recipe. 

Fruit - Spices - Mixing

In a skillet over medium high heat, add the mustard oil. Allow the mustard oil to come to smoke point before adding the Panch Phoron. If using regular cooking oil, do not bring it to smoking point, but add in the Panch Phoron as soon as the oil is hot. Allow the seeds to splutter and crackle. A lid may be needed to prevent them popping out all over the stove. Once the crackling has subsided, add in the asafetida and the whole red dried chili pepper and stir briefly. Pour in the mango mixture and stir. Add the palm sugar and stirring constantly, let the mixture boil and cook quickly for 5 to 7 minutes. The mango will have softened slightly and the sugar will be completely dissolved.

Pour the mixture into a very clean glass jar and seal. Once cooled, store in the fridge. My first batch lasted perfectly for about a year, though this is probably not recommended. 



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.