Sweet Chutney / Tamarind Dates Chutney For Chat

ಸೀಹಿ ಚಟ್ನಿ / ಹುಣಸೆಹಣ್ಣು  ಮತ್ತು ಕರಜುರದ ಚಟ್ನಿ 
The original chutney of India was usually a relish made from fresh Vegetables, Fruits, Spices etc.......Chutneys are served with almost every meal in India. It can be fresh or cooked and are made from a wide variety of ingredients. They range in flavor from sweet or sour, Spicy or mild or any other combination.Chutney can be wet or dry and can have a coarse to a fine texture. Some chutneys can preserved  in a air tight containers for a month together eg: Dry or Powdered chutney.

Sweet Chutney / Dates Chutney

Sweet Chutney or Dates Chutney are one of the very simple and delicious item in chat section. If we want a perfect chat, we must have a sweet chutney or else our chat will not complete properly. I usually do not prepare sweet chutney for quick chat items like dhider churmur or cucumber salad etc ......But sweet chutney gives perfect and the best flavour for all chat items.

Sweet chutney / Dates chutney

Ingredients:
Tamarind pulp 1 small cup.
Dates seed less 10 to 12.
Jaggery or sugar 1/2 cup.
Red chili powder 1 tea spoon.
Chat masala powder 1 tea spoon.
Black salt ( optional ).
Salt to taste.

Sweet Chutney / Dates Chutney

METHOD :
Step 1 : Heat water in a pan and add tamarind, dates, jaggery to the hot water and let it boil for 5 to 6 minutes until the jaggery dissolves in water. ( Remove seeds, fibre from tamarind and dates if any ).
Step 2 : Now add chat masala powder, red chilly powder, black salt or salt to taste and stir well. Now turn off heat and allow it to cool for 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 3 : Transfer all the mixture to the blender and grind till smooth consistency. strain the mixture with a soup strainer  and discard the left over pulp.
Step 4 : Now transfer the chutney to a clean and dry airtight container.

Sweet Chutney / Dates Chutney

Note :
1) If you don't have a chat masala powder, simply dry roast Cumin seeds, black pepper and add to a boiling tamarind and dates mixture along with a tea spoon of coriander powder and a inch of ginger.
2) You can keep sweet chutney for up to 10 to 15 days. only when u avoid water while blending.
3) Quantity of all the ingredients used here can be altered according to your choice for look, taste and smell. :)

Urad Dal Vad

ಉದಿನ್ನ ವಡೆ 

Vada is a traditional south indian food known from antiquity.Vadas commonly prepared at home as well a typical street food in the indian Subcontinent and Srilanka.They are usually a high calorie morning food, but in street stalls and in hotels they are available as a snack all day. Vadas are deep- fried in oil and serve with savoury accompaniments for example : they served along with a main course such as Dosa, Idli or Pongal. It also served with a variety of dips ranging from sambar to chutney to curd .

Urad Dal Vada

I love urad dal vada , vada makes a  perfect breakfast along with  idli, chutney and sambar . But usually,we don't get sufficient time for preparing all this together early in the morning. When i was in india ,my mother was doing these almost every sundays :) Of course now i am following her, but slight change, I prepare sambar, idly and vada batter in the night itself :P The only thing i need to do is fry vadas, grind chutney and make idlies in morning :). 

Urad Dal Vada

Ingredients :

Soaked urad dal 1 big cup.

Garlic 1 small size finely chopped ( optional )

Ginger 1 small inch finely chopped.

Onion 1 small size finely chopped ( optional )

Curry leaves 8 to 12 chopped.

Chopped  green chillies 3 medium size.

Crushed black pepper 5 to 8.

Coconut thinly sliced 5 to 6 small pieces.

Salt to taste.

Oil for fry.

Urad Dal Vada

METHOD:

Step 1: First Soak the urad dal for 1 to 2 hours and grind them with a little water until it become fluffy. The batter should roll like a ball in your wet hands,these is the right stage to remove from a grinder. And keep it in a refrigerator for an hour.

Step 2: For a batter add chopped onion, green chillies, ginger and garlic, curry leaves, coconut,  crushed black pepper, salt and mix well.

Soaked Urad Dal

Plain Urad Dal Batter

Mixed Urad Dal Batter

Step 3: Now give shape for the vada using banana leaf or polythene cover, or put a little batter in your wet palm , pat it and make a hole in the middle and put it in a oil directly.

Step 4: Heat oil in a thick bottom pan in a medium flame, and put the shaped urad dal batter one after the another and  fry them both the sides until crisp.

Urad Dal Vada

Note:

1) If you want a crispy vada , soak the urad dal for a long time and fry them in a low flame.

2) Do not add more water for urad dal while grinding. If so.....your vada will drink more oil.

3) Do not grind for too long, it makes batter sticky and will not get proper shape.

4) You can also do the same method using chana dal, moong dal etc. 

5) Quantity of all the ingredients used here can be altered according to your choice for look, taste and smell :)