kalakkalsamayal: Vallarai-Chutney 1

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Vallarai-Chutney 1

#VallaraiChutney 1 #CentellaChutney 1 : #Vallarai is a herb that grows abundantly near water bodies. #Vallarai [ வல்லாரை ] is commonly known as #centella or gotu kola.
The scientific name is Centella asiatica. It is also known as Asiatic pennywort or Indian pennywort.
It is a creeper and grows over the damp soil near water bodies. It has bunch of leaves connected to another bunch of leaves through a long stem. The creeper is interconnected with one another and runs along the soil. Each leaf has a long stem.
The leaves are said to be good for improving memory and how far this is true we don't know!! Whether its really helpful or not, there is nothing harm in including #vallarai in our diet regularly.
Tasty chutney can be prepared using these leaves.
We have already seen a recipe to prepare chutney with vallarai leaves - Vallarai Thaengai chutney. Here we are going to see another chutney with vallarai where large amount of vallarai leaves are used.

Ingredients :
50 - 60	Vallarai leaves
1 Tbsp	Coconut scrapings
2 Tsp	Black gram dhal with skin
1/2 Tsp	Black pepper
1/2 Tsp	Coriander seeds
2 or 3	Red chilly
1 Tsp	Lemon juice [ adjust ]
1/2 Tsp	Gingelly oil [ Till/sesame oil ]
3/4 Tsp	Salt [ adjust ]
To Temper :
1/2 Tsp	Mustard seeds
7 - 8	Curry leaves
1 Tsp	Gingelly oil [ Til/sesame oil ]

Method :
Heat a kadai on a stove over medium heat.
Add 1/2 Tsp of oil and fry red chilly until it turns dark red in color.
Transfer on to a clean and dry plate.
Then roast black gram in the same kadai until it changes to golden color.
Transfer on to the same plate.
In the same kadai roast coriander seeds adding few drops of oil.
Keep stirring until it gives out aroma and changes darker in shade.
Then transfer roasted coriander seeds also to the same plate.
Finally roast black pepper until it splutters.
Take out and keep on the plate.
Now turn off the stove and saute washed vallarai leaves for half a minute.
Then transfer on to the same plate.
Allow them to cool down to room temperature.

Take all the other given ingredients along with fried ones in a mixer grinder jar.
Grind with out adding water.
Then add little water and grind into a smooth paste.
Adjust salt and lemon juice.
Transfer into a serving bowl.
Temper mustard seeds and split black gram in a tsp of hot oil and pour over the prepared chutney.

Vallarai chutney goes well with idli and dosai.
It can also be relished with pongal, upma and kuzhi paniyaram.
This chutney can also be mixed with hot rice adding a tea spoon of gingelly oil [ Till/Sesame oil ] and enjoyed with sambar.