Green Coconut Chutney

Throughout the coastal belt of India, coconut is used in everyday cooking. Coconut is also allowed during fasting days, hence it finds its way into Phalahari or Farali cooking on special days like Janmashtami, Navratri, Sankashti, Ekadashi and menus for the fasting Mondays in Shravan.
This chutney is devoid of garlic and yet is tasty and creamy.

1 cup of freshly grated coconut, 2 green chillies , 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander, rock salt or common table salt. Grind to a smooth paste.
Other variations : you can add 2 tbsp chopped raw mango when available . It makes the chutney amazingly tangy. You can heat a tbsp oil and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Thin down the chutney to a thick curry consistency and add the tempering.

This chutney goes well with Batata Vada, Vada Pav, Idli, Dosa, Uttapam, Upma , Dhokla, Patra/ Allu Vadi

Green Coriander Chutney

Most Indian snacks are served with a chutney or dip. This can be spicy, rich, tangy or sweet and sour. A chutney compliments hot and spicy snacks, while it adds flavour to cold snacks like bhel puri and chaats. Chutneys can turn every day rotis and parathas into yummy exotic frankies. These are easy to make and always gather compliments.

The basic green coriander chutney :

1 cup chopped green coriander, 1 small onion, 1 tsp tamarind paste, 1 or 2 green chillies ( according to taste) , 2 pods of garlic, 1/4 inch ginger, a generousd pinch of rock salt and roasted cumin powder.
grind together coriander, chillies, garlic , ginger , onion and tamarind. Add rock salt and cumin powder. Check for salt and add normal salt as required.

Sweet Dates Chutney

Think of Mumbai street food and besides Vada Pav you think of Bhel Puri . The chutneys are the ones that lend the bhel its tanginess. The sweet dates chutney is a must in any Mumbai chaat. Along with the green coriander chutney and the garlic chutney, any snack is a super hit.

15 dates- deseeded, 2 tbsp tamarind paste, 1 tbsp jaggery, 1/4 tsp rock salt.

Grind together all the ingredients till smooth and viscous.Strain and store.Keeps for a week when refrigerated. Can be served with hot spicy snacks like samosa, pakodas, vada pav etc and chaats.

Garlic Chutney

What is life without a little spice? This one though takes the cake in sheer spice and heat.Yet its one that you cannot have enough of. The ingredients can be controlled and manipulated to achieve a comfortable pungency level. Make it once and you will want to have it in your refrigerator at all times. This one goes well with all kind of Indian meals, Snacks, Burgers, Sandwiches, Rotis, Parathas, Bhakris,Khichadi and a worthy companion to the Vada Pav!

12 red dry chillies ( if you are not used to too much spice, use Kashmiri chillies- deseeded), 1 entire pod of garlic-peeled, a handful of roasted peanuts, tsp jaggery, 2 tbsp tamarind paste, 1 cup grated dry coconut ( gari), salt to taste.

Clockwise from top:Red chillies, garlic, tamarind paste, grated coconut, peanuts, jaggery,

Roast and crush separately, dry coconut and peanuts ( crush it finely , unless you like the chutney to be chunky). Grind together red chillies, garlic, salt, tamarind and jaggery.Mix this thick mass with the crushed coconut and peanuts. Store. This will keep well in the refrigerator for a month, though I cannot guarantee it will last that long :)