I’ve been meaning to share with you about these tasty coconut chutneys for ages but I’m only now getting around to it. And perhaps some of you may frown at me for keeping this from you for so long! While we are familiar with the time-consuming-to make-great-tasting Coconut Choka, this is different. It takes less time to prepare and while each one is unique in appearance and taste, the method of making them is essentially the same.
The originals are the White, Red and Green Coconut Chutney, the fourth one I added. It is not identified by its colour as the others are, rather by the way the coconut is prepared before being made into a chutney – roasted, fire-roasted to be exact.
I first got a glimpse and taste of White Coconut Chutney when I was a young teenager. A family friend, one of those “aunties” said she was clamouring for something simple to eat so she decided to make this coconut chutney which she ate with rice. I remember looking at her plate bemused for there was white on white – White Coconut Chutney on white rice. The red pepper sauce at the side of the chutney and rice brought colour to the plate. Oh, I forgot to mention that the plate was white too (laugh). With her fingers, Auntie Sattee set about mixing the chutney and rice together with a little of the pepper sauce and ate. I have to admit, as strange as it seemed to me, it looked delicious. And the taste was equally delicious.
That was the first and last time I ate it until several years ago when I asked Auntie Sattee (now living with her children and grandchildren in Canada) about the white coconut chutney she had made many moons ago. She told me how she made it and recounted that it was something her mother used to make and that they would usually eat it with sada roti, occasionally with rice and fried vegetables. I was intrigued and decided to Google coconut chutney. My screen quickly filled up with text and accompanying images of bowls of White Coconut Chutney! I was excited and read that it is a South Indian chutney-side-dish that can serve as a condiment also. It is usually eaten with dosa, a thin crepe/pancake made of fermented batter of rice and lentil; idli, a savoury rice cake made by steaming a fermented batter of rice and lentils; and vada, fried snacks.
As I continued my research, I came upon Red and Green Coconut Chutneys. I felt like I had won a prize and set about making the chutneys, one each week. The roasted coconut chutney I made up because I wanted to capture the fire-roasted flavour of our well-known Coconut Choka. The flavour did not disappoint and frankly I was glad not to be grating and then grinding the coconut. Let me hasten to add that there is no substitute for Coconut Choka, this dried type of coconut chutney is in a league all its own.
I eat my chutneys with sada and paratha roti, dhal, rice and vegetables. And to be honest, many times, I would eat my chutney just like that from a little bowl with a spoon. It tastes so darn good. On other occasions, I would simply eat it as a side dish with whatever I am having – whether it’s a curry, a stew or rice and peas.
Finding things to make and eat when we are deliberately staying away from meat or cutting back, for a variety of reasons, can be a challenge for some people, hence the search for ideas. If during this season of Lent, you find yourself in that position, try making all or any of these chutneys as part of your meal. I think you would find it most pleasing and extremely satisfying.
Cynthia
White Coconut Chutney
To achieve this white chutney, remove the brown skin of the cracked coconut before chopping or grating.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup chopped or grated coconut
• 2 – 3 green chilies or any hot pepper as long as it is green
• ½ tablespoon chopped ginger
• 1 tablespoon blanched peanuts
• Salt and sugar to taste
• Water
Temper:
• 1½ tablespoons oil
• ½ teaspoon brown/black mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon chana dal (substitute with yellow split peas) –
optional
• Dried or fresh red chilies
• Curry leaves
DIRECTIONS
1. Add the coconut, chilies, ginger and peanuts to a blender and puree until smooth adding a little water at a time to help things move easily. Do not add too much water, the chutney should have a thick consistency and while wet, it should not be watery.
2. Add salt to taste and pinch of sugar to balance the flavour. Pulse a few times to mix well. Transfer the mixture to a heatproof bowl and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a small frying pan or large metal ladle over medium low heat. Add the mustard seeds and when they start to pop, add the cumin (jeera), cook for 20 seconds then add the chana dal or split peas and cook until it just starts to change colour
4. Add the dried chilies and cook for 15 seconds then add the curry leaves, cook for 5 – 10 seconds then pour all the ingredients over the chutney. Stir well to incorporate.
Red Coconut Chutney
This chutney gets its name from the colour of the peppers and it is hot. For it to not be overly fiery, consider removing the seeds and membranes of most of the pepper if using fresh, if using dried, remove the seeds.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 – 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon chana dal (substitute with yellow split peas)
• 1 knob ripe tamarind flesh (about a 2-inch round knob)
• Red chilies to taste (red hot peppers)
• 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
• 1 cup grated/chopped coconut
• Water
• salt to taste
Temper:
• 1 ½ tablespoons oil
• ½ teaspoon brown/black mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons Chana dal or yellow split peas
• Curry leaves
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oil in pan and fry chana dal/split peas until golden.
2. Add chilies, ginger and tamarind and cook on low heat until softened; remove from heat and let cool.
3. Add coconut and the fried ingredients (including the oil from the frying) to a blender and puree to a paste adding a little water at a time.
4. Add salt to taste and pulse to fully incorporate and then transfer to a heatproof bowl and set aside.
5. Heat oil in a small frying pan or a large metal ladle over medium-low heat. Add mustard seeds and when they begin to pop, add chana dal/split peas and fry until it just starts to change colour. Add the curry leaves and cook for 5 – 10 seconds. Pour over chutney and stir well to incorporate.
NOTES
• There should be no seeds in the tamarind flesh. Alternately, use
tamarind pulp that will be added to the blender with the coconut.
• Removing the brown outer skin from the coconut is optional
Green Coconut Chutney
INGREDIENTS
• 1½ cups grated/chopped coconut
• 1 cup fresh coriander/cilantro
• 2 tablespoons channa dal or yellow split peas
• 5 cloves garlic
• 3 – 4 green chilies
• 1½ tablespoons tamarind pulp, or to taste
• 1 chopped tablespoon, ginger
• 5 – 6 curry leaves
• Water
• Salt to taste
Temper:
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon brown/black mustard seeds
• ¾ teaspoon whole jeera/cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon channa dal/yellow split peas
• 10 – 12 curry leaves
DIRECTIONS
1. Add all the ingredients except the water and salt to a jug blender.
2. Adding a little water at a time, puree to a thick wet paste. Add salt to taste and pulse to incorporate. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a small frying pan or large metal ladle over medium-low heat. Add mustards seeds and when they start to pop, add jeera followed by dal/split peas and fry until it just starts to change colour. Add curry leaves, cook for 5 – 10 seconds and then pour over chutney and stir well to fully incorporate.
NOTE
It is optional to remove the brown skin from the coconut.
Roasted Coconut Chutney
INGREDIENTS
• 1 whole coconut, cracked, flesh removed
• 2 – 3 tablespoons oil
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• Chopped hot pepper to taste
• Tamarind pulp to taste
• Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Roast the coconut flesh over an open flame until deeply browned and charred in various parts. Do not let it get overly charred. Chop the coconut into small pieces.
2. Add oil to a frying pan and cook garlic and pepper until softened.
3. Add coconut and fried ingredients as well as the oil in which it was cooked to a jug blender, adding a little water at a time, puree to a thick wet paste.
4. Add tamarind pulp and salt to taste, pulse a few times to fully incorporate.
5. Transfer to a bowl and serve.
