BEETROOT CHUTNEY

You can try this chutney, for a change from your regular chutneys or you can also prepare this if you feel to have something healthy to include in the morning breakfast.  I was served with beetroot chuntey in a hotel at coimbatore. Even I am not so much fond of beetroot. It was one among the chutneys, so i had a better chance to try this. Even though I am not aware of the exact proportions of the chutney served, I tried thrice to get a better taste to make my own beetroot chutney in the house. The method and ingredients are simple one. And I liked it and I am sharing with you to try it out.

Ingredients:

1. Beetroot - 1 medium size ( skin peeled off)
2. Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
3. Red chillies - 3 -4
4. Urud dhal - 1/2 tbs
5. Channa dhal - 2 tbs
6. Coconut - 3 tbs grated
7. Tamarind - a smaller piece  just for tanginess (opt)

Seasoning:

1. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
2. Urud dhal - 1 tsp
3. Curry leaves - 4 -5
4. Oil - for cooking
5. hing (perungayam) - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Chop the peeled beetroot into small pieces or grate it out.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add red chillies, ginger, urud dhal, channa dhal, tamarind and fry until golden brown. Add grated coconut finally and give a little fry and  switch off the stove. 

3.  Remove the ingredients and keep it in a seperate plate.

4. Heat oil in a pan, add chopped / grated beetroot to the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes or until the raw smell goes. Less amount of oil is enough for frying beetroot.

5. Once all the ingredients comes to room temperature, grind it to a fine paste using required amount of water. This chutney tastes better if it is grinded into a thick paste and not watery.

6. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, urud dhal and curry leaves and hing and pour it on top of the chutney.

note : 1. You can reduce the amount of channa dhal and substitute it with more coconut.

2. It is necessary to fry the coconut to get the nutty flavour. If you grind the coconut raw, the coconut flavour will dominate the chutney.