Ginger Chutney - Allam Pachchadi

Ginger 1 cup grated

Tamarind Pulp 3 tbsps

Jaggery 1 tbsp

Ghee 2 tbsp

Oil 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

The 1^st tempering

Split black gram (husked) 1 ½ tbsp

Mustard Seeds 1 tbsp

Red chilies 3-4 nicked at tail with stalks retained

Curry leaves ½ cup

Coriander leaves (optional)

Asafetida or paste 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder ½ tsp

The 2^nd tempering

Split black gram (husked) ½ tsp

Mustard seeds ½ tsp

In a wok, heat the ghee and fry the grated ginger well for 4 to 5 minutes. Take care to see that the ginger turns light red in color. Do not overcook as the ginger must retain some of its juice. Set aside.

In another wok, heat 11/2 tbsp oil for the 1^st tempering. Add the gram; as it turns golden, pop the mustard. Switch off the flame and add the red chilies. As they turn bright red, stir in the remaining ingredients for the 1^st tempering.

Grind this tempering along with the tamarind pulp, jaggery and salt into a fine paste. Now add the cooked ginger and grind coarsely. Do not add water while grinding.

Heat the remaining oil for the 2^nd tempering. Add the gram; as it turns golden, pop the mustard and switch off the flame. Garnish the Pachchadi with the crunchy tempering.

Mustard Flavored Vegetable

Raw bananas with a twang of mustard

Raw bananas 2 diced medium

Turmeric powder ¼ tsp

Oil 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

The tempering

Split black gram (husked) ½ tsp

Mustard seeds 1/2tsp

Green chilies 2-4 split

Curry leaves a few

Asafetida powder a pinch

The Paste

Mustard seeds 11/2 tsp

Raw Rice 1 tbsp

Ginger 1 inch piece

Coconut ¼ cup grated

Coriander leaves ¼ cup grated

 
Boil the diced bananas in water along with the turmeric powder till tender. Strain and set aside. Grind the ingredients for the paste using a little water. Set aside.

In a wok heat the oil for tempering. Add the gram; as it turns golden, add the mustard. Lower the flame and add the green chilies, curry leaves and asafetida.

Add the boiled vegetables, paste and salt. Mix well and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes. Switch off the flame.

Gram Balls Minapasunni

Black gram (husked) 2 cups

Powdered sugar ¾ cups

Cashew nuts 6-7 broken into bits

Raisins 8-10

Cardamom powder a pinch of two

Ghee ½-3/4 cup as needed 

Dry roast the gram until golden brown and grind to a fine powder.

Add the sugar and cardamom powder and mix well.

Heat 1 tbsp ghee and fry the cashews until golden. Remove the cashews and in the same ghee, fry the raisins until they puff up. Add the cashews and raisins to the gram mixture.

Melt the remaining ghee and pour into the gram mixture slowly. Add enough ghee to bind the mixture for making lemon sized balls with our palms. The delicious laddus are ready.

Recipes from "Cooking at home with Pedatha" by Jigyasa Giri & Pratibha Jain.
Photographs by Srivatsa Shandilya.

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