Thursday, August 4, 2011

Sweet Potato Chutney

Sweet Potato Chutney is a delicious and healthy chutney especially for those who want to reduce the amount of coconut in their diet - the sweet potato replaces most of the coconut! Lime/lemon juice is preferable as it keeps the chutney light colored; but tamarind is perfectly acceptable too. Use either the cream colored or the orange colored sweet potato - both are good :D. I use green chiles and lime juice with the cream colored potato and red chiles and tamarind with the orange ones aka "yams". Paji's mom used to say that many restaurants use cheaper sweet potatoes instead of the more expensive coconut to reduce their cost; I believe it a delicious way to reduce fat in the diet :D.

Cream-colored Sweet Potato Chutney

Ingredients:

1 medium Sweet Potato
2 Tbsp fresh or frozen Coconut, grated
1 or 2 Fresh Hot Green/Red Chile
1 sprig fresh Curry Leaves
Lime/Lemon Juice or Tamarind
1/2 tsp Sea Salt

Tadka/Thalippu:
1 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
2 dry Red Chilies
2 tsp Chana Dal
2 tsp Urad Dal
1 pinch Asafoetida
1 sprig fresh Curry Leaves, shredded

Method:

Juice the lemon/lime; or if using tamarind, soak a small marble-sized lump of it in a couple of spoonfuls of warm water for about 10 minutes. Tamarind may have seeds/shells; when soft, check with your fingers and remove and discard any seeds or shells.

Combine all the chutney ingredients with half the lemon/lime juice or the tamarind in the carafe of a blender and process into a thick smooth paste using about 1/2 cup water.

Pour the chutney into a bowl and flush the carafe with a couple of spoonfuls of water and add to the bowl. Add a little more water if necessary to adjust the consistency of the chutney and correct the seasoning with more salt/lemon as needed.

Prepare tadka/thalippu: Heat the oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds, chile, and the dals. When the mustard seeds start popping, stir in the asafoetida and then carefully add the curry leaves. Pour the whole thing into the chutney carefully (hot oil from the tadka might sizzle and spatter upon contact with the chutney) and mix well.

If not serving right away, I like to add the tadka/thalippu just before serving since I like the occasional crunch of the dals; they get a bit soggy (but not inedible or bad in any way) otherwise.

Serve with Adai, Dosa, Idli, Upma, etc. Enjoy!!

2 comments:

Hari Chandana P said...

Nice one.. thanks for sharing :)
Indian Cuisine

Geetha said...

Thank you Hari Chandana!