Tomato Ash Gourd Chutney

Hello everyone. I bring a new recipe with me. Something unheard of but turns of great! who knew.

This idea came from my mom, she just had a casual dinner with my dad and told me about ash gourd (boothkumblakayi) chutney. She told it was very sour but that didn't stop me from thinking in that direction.

So I came up with some simple and basic ingredients which worked. Be careful though, ash gourd has very delicate  taste and cannot take much of heat or sourness. So I have barely added one green chili and little bit of tamarind paste. In case the tomato you use is too sour, you can entirely skip the tamarind. I am sure these two ingredients are available everywhere so please try it and do let me know how it turned out for you.

You need to use it the same day as the taste changes drastically after 9-10 hours. Best is to use it immediately. Since its mild, Use it with something spicy like nucchinunde (spicy lentil balls) or Adai dose.

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/8 Ash gourd cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 tomato seeded and chopped roughly
• 1 green chili
• 2 tbsp coconut grated
• 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
• Salt as needed
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• A pinch of hing
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 1 cup water

Method:

• In a sauce pan add a cup of water and bring it to boil. Add the ash gourd pieces, salt, tamarind paste and cover and cook for about 10 minutes on high to medium high.
• In a mixer grinder, add the cooked ash gourd (after draining water), tomato, grated coconut and green chili. Grind it without any water into a fine paste. Check for salt and mix well.
• For tempering use a small spatula add oil and heat. Once hot add mustard seeds, hing and cumin seeds, after hearing couple of splatters add in the red chili and switch off the stove. Enjoy!

Methya Soppina Chutney - Fenugreek leaves chutney

We are at the airport now feeling awful to go back to our routine. We had great fun on our 5 day vacation. I really don't like to go back to the cold NY.

Well I take back some of the best memories we made here. Next time we come here, we are just going to Key West and no where else. It was such a great place and demands all your time in your visit.

Will catch you all back in my place with more recipes. Adiós for now.

As you guys know, I am a big fan of Fenugreek leaves. This chutney is my mother's recipe. Some of the best taste come from the most simplest of the recipes and this is one of those.

Serves: 3-4

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fenugreek leaves chopped
• 1 tsp oil
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• salt as needed
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• A pinch of hing

Method:

• In a pan heat oil, once hot add red chilies and remove only the chilies and keep it aside. 
• To the same oil add mustard seeds and let it crackle.
• Add hing and fry for a second, then add the fenugreek leaves and fry for 2 mins.
• Now add tamarind paste and again fry for 5 mins. Let this cool down.
• To a blender add this cooked fenugreek leaves, red chilies and coconut and grind it with little water to get a chutney consistency. Check for salt and serve with rotti, dosa, chapati or rice.