Dawn Images

This article was originally published on 5 March, 2018.

Despite the fact that desi food is flavourful enough as it is prepared using combinations of different spices, we still want dips and accompaniments such as chutneys, pickles and raitas to go with it.

Sometimes to enhance the flavour or texture, or to make it juicier, more palatable, or perhaps to take the flavour to the next level.

Also read: A novice makes pakoras for the first time. Here's what happens

In the same way that fries are better when they are loaded, desis like to load their food with more accompaniments.

Chutneys and raitas are surprisingly easy to make; you simply have to blend or grind the right ingredients and then pair them with the right meals.

The range of chutneys and raitas includes sweet, savoury and spicy flavours. Making chutneys and raitas is as easy as mix-blend-pour. The added value is that they work as digestives.

1) Mint Chutney

Ingredients

1 bunch mint leaves, without stalks

1/8 cup tamarind, deseeded and soaked

5 green chillies

4 red chillies (whole)

Salt to taste

Method

Grind these ingredients together with some water in a grinder to make a fine paste. A peeled raw mango, when in season, is a heavenly addition to this chutney. This chutney is best with curries such as aloo gosht and arvi gosht, and rice dishes such as khichri, peas pulao and daal chawal.

2) Green Garlic Chutney

Ingredients

1 bunch coriander leaves, without stalks

3 cloves garlic

5 green chillies

Salt to taste

Method

Grind these ingredients in a minimum amount of water to make a very fine paste. Stir-fry the paste in a little oil till the garlic becomes pungent and the paste thickens. This chutney is made especially for besan ki roti. To make red garlic chutney for dhoklas, use red chillies instead of green.

3) Date-Tamarind Chutney

Ingredients

½ cup dates, deseeded

1/8 cup deseeded tamarind pulp

½ tbsp red chilli powder

¼ cup sugar

Salt to taste

Method

Boil the dates in some water till they turn to pulp. Add the tamarind pulp and cook for a minute. Add the remainder of the ingredients and bring to boil, then remove from heat. This chutney is good for chaat, nimco and samosas.

4) Tomato Chutney

Ingredients

1 cup onions, diced

1 cup tomatoes, diced

A handful coriander leaves

2 green chillies, chopped

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Method

In a little oil, sauté the onions till they turn soft. Add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and stir-fry the spices till they become dark and aromatic. Add the diced tomatoes and stir them in till they turn to a thick paste. Add the green chillies and coriander and cook for a minute. Remove from heat. This salsa-chutney is good to eat with roghni chapatti and paratha.

5) Baingan Raita

Ingredients

For the temper:

1 eggplant, sliced

1 tsp cumin

4 red chillies, whole

For kg yoghurt:

1 tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp black pepper powder

Salt to taste

Method

Beat the yoghurt lightly. Add salt, red chilli powder and black pepper powder. Fry whole red chillies. Once they are lightly browned, add eggplant slices to the bhagaar. When the eggplant slices have cooked through, add cumin to this bhagaar. Once the cumin has turned crisp, pour the bhagaar over the yoghurt. This raita goes well with any and every dish.

**6) Kachumar Raita **

Ingredients

¼ kg yoghurt

¼ cup milk

½ tbsp roasted, crushed cumin

1/8 cup mint leaves, chopped

6 green chillies

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

1 tomato, diced

Salt to taste

Method

Add milk to yoghurt and beat to smooth consistency. Mix all the other ingredients.

This raita tastes great with biryani.

7) Fried Green Chillies

Ingredients

6 large green chilli peppers

Achar masala powder

Lemon juice, enough to hold the achar masala together

Method

Slit the green chillies lengthwise to create a pocket. Deseed the chillies. Mix achar masala powder in lemon juice to make a thick paste. Fill it in the chilli pockets and close the slit. Fry the peppers in shallow oil till they turn soft. Remove and serve. These stuffed chillies go well with aloo anda curry and peas pulao.

Originally published in Dawn, EOS, March 4th, 2018