Receta Recipe : Bangalore Thela style Green Coconut Chutney (Vegan)

by Karishma Pais

Having lived and worked in Bangalore in two separate stints as a bachelorette :), on the rare occasions that I needed breakfast before office (normally an after effect of partying too hard on a week night), there used to be these thelawalas or cyclewalas who would serve just idli, vadas and a watery chutney.I suspect that this chutney is more Tamilian in origin, since growing up in Mangalore, right next to Udupi, I'd not seen this particular chutney. Or maybe it was just the thelawalas ingenuity to let a little chutney go a long way and avoid having to carry a tin of sambhar too which would also need to be kept hot . It is however, quite delicious and this is a chutney I made based on nostalgic memory which may be off the mark, but I loved it and that's what food is about right?Ingredients :1/2 cup channa dhal (split pigeon peas)1/2 cup grated coconut1/2 cup corriander leaves and stems5 green chillies (spicy - adjust to your taste)2 cloves garlicSalt to taste1 tsp coconut oil (or any neutral oil) pinch of hing1 tsp urad dhal1/2 tsp mustard seeds1/2 tsp sesame seeds (optional - I just felt like using them today) 1 dry red chillia few curry leaves   Method :Dry roast the channa dhal on a medium flame and cool. Be careful not to burn it.Grind the roasted dhal, coconut, corriander, chillies and garlic to a fine paste.Add water as needed when grinding.Transfer the ground chutney to a large bowl.Add 1 - 2 cups water depending on how liquidy you want it. (Feel free to rinse your mixi with plain water and add it to the chutney - its what our grandmas taught us after all)Adjust salt to taste and mix well. Heat oil in a tempering vessel.Add tempering ingredients quickly and don't let any of them burn.Pour the seasoned oil and spices over the chutney. I made double the quantity of tempering and used the same one for both chutneys today.  Serve at room temperature with hot idlis / dosas.