Peanut Brinjal Chutney

Peanuts brinjal chutney is a simple tasty chutney made by grinding the cooked brinjal and tomato to a fine thick paste. The addition of peanuts makes it have a taste similar to that of peanut chutney. It tastes best with steaming rice and hot ghee. Avaa used to make this and this always reminds me of her ..

What you will need to make this :

• 1 cup brinjal/ eggplant/ aubergine - cubed
• 1/2 cup tomatoes - cubed
• 2 tbs peanuts
• 1/2 cup ridge gourd (optional)
• 3 tsp coriander seeds
• 3-4 green chillies - chopped
• 5-6 - garlic cloves
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp oil
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup water

How to make this yummy chutney:

• Heat oil in a kadai. Once hot, throw in cumin seeds, garlic cloves, green chillies , coriander seeds, brinjal, tomatoes and ridge gourd.
• Cook covered for 10- 15minutes on a low flame. Once done, let this cool.
• Simultaneously heat another kadai and dry fry the peanuts for 3-5 minutes on a medium flame with constant sauteing. Once done, remove and let cool.
• Grind them all to a fine thick paste with little salt and little water. Adjust salt before serving.

Serve the yummy brinjal pachadi with rice topped with a generous spoonful of ghee and spicy crispy pappad. This can also be had with idly/ dosa/pongal and if you are as crazy as I am , with phulkas too.

Beerakaya chutney

What you will need :

• Ridge gourd skin - 3 cups
• Onion - 1, sliced
• Tomato - 1, chopped
• Urad dal - 4 tbsp
• Red chillies - 8 or to taste
• Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp

How to make it :

• Wash the ridge gourds (beerakaya) and peel and chop the skin and keep aside.
• Take a pan and heat with 1/2 tbsp of oil and add mustard seeds.
• When they start to crackle add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, red chillies, urad dal and curry leaves.
• Saute for 3-5 mins or they turn into light golden yellow colour.
• Remove from flame and keep aside.
• In the same pan add another 1/2 tbsp of oil and heat.
• Now add sliced onions and chopped tomatoes and little quantity of salt.
• Cook on low flame till the onions become transparent and tomatoes become juicy.
• Remove from heat and keep aside.
• In the same pan add another 1/2 tbsp of oil and heat.
• Add ridge gourd peeled and chopped skin and little quantity of salt.
• Cook on low flame till the skin become tender.
• Remove from heat and keep aside.
• Allow the sauteed ingredients for some time.
• Then take a mixer jar and add the sauteed ingredients and grind to a coarse paste (don't add too much of water).
• Finally adjust salt and remove from the mixer jar and transfer into the serving bowl.
• Now your easy and tasty beerakaya pachadi is ready to serve :) Serve with steam white rice with ghee or with idlis or Dosa