Welcome aboard!

Indian cuisine is a riot of colours, flavours, and spices. Every state has its own unique culture- ingrained taste bud. And, to many of us staying within familiar tastes is a sacrosanct act. Of course an occasional trip to a speciality restaurant that serves another fare is ok. But, as a matter of routine ...at home...NO!

One of the benefits of being born to parents who dared an interstate marriage (am talking about India of the 70's) was being able to widen a regional taste bud to accept, experiment and, relish eclectic cuisines :-)

I love food! Be it traditional or fusion, cooking is all about turning out fare that is tasty and healthy.I welcome all lovers of good food to come on aboard and share your kitchen adventures.

If you like what you see, do leave a comment. If you don't, please leave a suggestion to help me make this better.

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Happy cooking!

Dershana

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Bird's eye chilli (kanthari) chutney and steamed sweet potatoes

Kanthari (bird's eye chilli/thai pepper/african peri-peri) is one of the ultra-fieriest members of the chilli family.
In India, this pungent and delicious chilli is rarely used in any other region apart from Kerala (open to argument). Even in Kerala, kanthari is not something you'd find on the menu of upmarket restaurants or the vegetable racks of supermarket chains. This is something that I grew up watching my parents and now my in-laws handpick fresh from the garden and then churn out superbly simple yet extremely delicious fare.If the taste wasn't enough, kanthari is also reputed to be high on the health quotient! It's supposed to be the foody way to a more temperate blood pressure ;-)

Kanthari- 5-6 Nos (less is recommended if you are are not used to heat)
Shallots (cheriya ulli/pearl onions/scallions)- 4 Nos
Ginger - 1/2" piece
Tamarind extract - 1/4 teaspoon
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Indian curry leaves - 4-5 leaves
Salt to taste

Peel the onions. Put all ingredients into a chutney mixie/blender and grind to paste. Add water only if required since the onions are quite moist.

This chutney is perfect with the smooth sweetness of steamed sweet potatoes. To steam sweet potatoes,scrub them well, cut into pieces and either place them in a pressure cooker and steam for 4 whistles on medium heat; or, place them in a stove-top or electric steamer and cook for about 15 minutes. Stab a fork in to check if tender. Peel and your meal is ready!

Bird's eye chilli chutney and steamed sweet potatoes make their way to Asvadha's 'Made for each other' event. The event is on till the 28th of Feb at http://www.asvadha.com/2009/01/announcing-made-for-each-other.html

So why are these two 'Made for each other'?
-The spicy, macho kanthari blends beautifully with the wonderful, natural sweetness of the sweet potato.
-Both are nutritional treasure troves, check this out:
Apart from being a great source of beta carotenes, fibre, vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and iron, sweet potatoes contain a unique 'root-protien' that resemble one of our internally produced anti-oxidants and hence have dynamic anti-oxidant effects!
And now, kanthari (peri-peri) again is rich in Vitamin C, B vitamins, iron and calcium. The key ingredient 'capsaicin' helps lower cholestrol and decrease high blood pressure.

Take a closer peek:

This spicy chutney also goes to Mane Adige's Chutney/Dip mania event. The event is on at http://maneadige.blogspot.com/2009/01/inviting-entries-for-mania-event-here.html

Yasmeen has created this beautiful award and passed this onto all her blogger friends. Thank you for thinking of me too, Yasmeen!





Sathya of appetitetreats.blogspot.com has passed on the Good Chat Blog award to me. thank you so much, Sathya.

21 comments:

Unknown said...

this is something really interesting..nic info too..beautiful entries for the event..

Unknown said...

oooffff hot hot chutney mmmmmm mouthwatering dear

FH said...

YUM! I grow bird chillies every Summer and freeze them for Winter, love them. Great entry! :)

Manju said...

i had almost forgotten that this variety of chilli exists!! i used to love them..the chutney looks soo delicious!

Dori said...

Congratulations on the awards! This looks delicious, wish I could taste some!

Cham said...

I only get this chillies in store and do have a chilli plant too! The chutney is must try, and the combo of sweet potat is simply wonderful

Nithya Praveen said...

this is really interesting...hot as well as a sweet potato...wonderful:) Great combo!

Daily Meals said...

Sweet and spicy...nice combination...

Raks said...

Very new to me Dershana,thanks for sharing this!

lubnakarim06 said...

Something new to me. Looks gr8.

Anonymous said...

This is a very interesting combination..i have never ate sweet potatoes with chutney...will try it out next time when i buy sweet potatoes :)

Swapna said...

This is something new to me. Quite interesting combo...

Preety said...

i think whenever i m looking for any new chutney recipe..your blog is a perfect stop for that..love the recipe

Sum Raj said...

looks tempting and great recipe..

Namrata Kini said...

Oh those chillies are really hot. I have seen the plants in the backyards in our native. Chutney looks great.

Yasmeen said...

we get those kind of tiny hot chillies in desi stores here.the chutney sounds spicy and just right with the sweet potatoes:)

Nithi said...

such a unique combo .. love it

Tahira said...

Was feeling homesick and googling Kerela food, when I stumbled on this blog. Just reading it made me happy :-) Cant wait to try out soem recipes tomorrow. Absolutely LOVE your blog. THANK YOU.

Nichiro said...

Dershana,

I prepared Kanthari chutney using Thai chillies. I simply love the taste of Kanthari chutney.

I am going to post this chutney as my fav chutney in my blog. Will pass on the credit to you.

Hemant Trivedi

Indian Cuisine Blogroll said...

Tried the kanthari mulaku chutney with sweet potato..yum yum..i've put a picture in my blog...

UNNI said...

You should try it with boiled cassava..... just the chillies with a couple of shallots a teaspoon of coconut oil, pound them - do not use a blender or mixie- this is a great chutney with your cassava..
SJ

 
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