Nellikkai-Peerkangkai-Chutney

#NellikkaiPeerkangkaiChutney  #AmlaRidgegourdChutney : #RidgeGourd is called #Peerkangkai in Tamil. The peels of peerkangkai or the whole vegetable is used in the preparation of #Chutney [ #Thuvaiyal ]. A good chutney [ thuvaiyal ] should have correct balance of chilly, sour and salt. Commonly tamarind or lemon juice is used for sour taste. Instead I have used #Nellikkai [ #IndianGooseberry ], commonly known as #Amla. The taste of #Nellikkai is sweet, sour, bitter and astringent [ துவர்ப்பு ].
#Nellikkai is one of the richest sources of Vitamin C and extensively used in our traditional ayurvedic system of medicine for its medicinal property. Not only the fruit, its bark and leaves are also used in ayurvedic medicinal preparations. It is also an excellent antioxidant.
I have included Nellikkai for its sour taste and also to reap all the goodness of the fruit.
Now we will see the preparation.

Ingredients :
1/2 cup	Peerkangkai skin [ ridgegourd peels ]
1/2 cup	Peerkangkai [ ridgegourd ] slices
3 - 4 Tsp	Coconut scraping
1 1/2 Tsp	Black gram
1/4 Tsp	Coriander seeds
2 or 3	Red chilly
small piece	asafoetida
1 or 2 Tsp	Ginger julians [ optional ]
2 or 3	Nellikkai [ Amla - Indian Gooseberry ]
1/2 Tsp	Salt
2 Tsp	Oil

Method :
Wash nellikkai well and steam cook for 10 minute.
Then remove the seeds and slice into equal thickness pieces.

Wash the Peerkangkai well and remove the skin.
{ Use the skin to make thuvaiyal and the vegetable to make sambar or koottu. }

Keep a kadai on a stove with a tsp of oil.
After oil becomes hot add red chilly, black gram, asafoetida and fry well till the dhal turns into golden brown. Then transfer into a bowl.
In the same kadai saute steamed nellikkai pieces for 2 minutes.
Transfer into the same bowl.

Now add a tsp of oil.
Add the ginger julians, peerkangkai slices and peerkangai peels and saute well.
Close with a lid. Allow to cook well for 3 to 5 minutes keeping the flame at SIM.
Once it is cooked let all the sauteed and fried ingredients to come to room temperature.
Now transfer all sauteed and fried ingredients along with grated coconut and salt into a mixer/blender jar.
Grind them into a smooth paste.
If needed add some water and grind.
Transfer the #chutney into a serving bowl.

This chutney [ #thuvaiyal ] goes well with Pongal and also with white rice.
Mix thuvaiyal with white rice along with a tsp of gingelly oil and eat with sambar as side dish.



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Poduthalai Thuvaiyal

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