Arachu Kalakki ( Kerala Home-Style Non-Dairy Chutney)
Arachu kalakki means "ground mix" in Tamil/Malayalam; and ground mixture it is - mangoes or Indian gooseberries (nellikai or amla), chiles, and coconut are ground and mixed with water or buttermilk/yogurt to make an uncooked soupy chutney or sauce; it is also called Uppu Mangai or Neer Nellikai Pachadi depending on the ingredients. Although the traditional ingredients for making arachu kalakki are baby mangoes (kanni manga)/gooseberries (nellikai) in brine, hot pickled ones may also be used. When using hot pickled mangoes/gooseberries, chiles may not be needed. Arachu kalakki is a good way to use up aging pickles with soft mangoes/gooseberries. It is typically served over dry kinds of food like rice/grain dishes, upma , idlis , kozhakattais , sevai (rice noodles), etc. If you would like to use dried mangoes/gooseberries, soak a small handful of the dried pieces in warm water until softened before proceeding with the grinding. You will need to adjust the...