Pepper Tomato Chutney

Whenever we visit our nearby South Indian restaurant for quick and light dinners, we are treated with a Chutney as a side dish made up mainly of Tomatoes. Generally, I am not a fan of Chutneys and if they are made of coconut or are spicy, they are the last things I taste.

 

In India, Chutneys are those side dishes which have all their ingredients ground to a smooth paste and are used as dips with fries or pancakes or with steamed rice cakes. On a recent visit to the supermarket, I happened to pick a few red bell peppers with the intention of using it in salads or noodles. However, I chanced upon a recipe for a recipe which uses bell peppers along with tomatoes to form this chutney which pairs beautifully with our Idlis and pancakes.

 

The good news is that, it doesn't require coconut and that's why I decided to try it. However, the outcome was something I did not expect. It tasted exactly like the Chutneys that are served in our nearby restaurant and which I always wondered as to how they make it so deliciously. So this recipe automatically gets bookmarked to be tried again and again .

This fresh chutney is ready for the table so quick, you won't believe it's homemade until you taste it. Not so spicy, vibrant, and super fresh. That's the best kind of Chutney, whether it's a topping on a taco or a quick summer dip in the sun.

 

INGREDIENTS:
 

Red Bell Pepper - 1, chopped into 1" pieces
Tomatoes - 2 large, sliced
Chana dal - 1 1/2 tbsps
Dry red chilies - 2
Green chilies - 1
Cumin - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Cooking oil - 1 1/2 tbsps.

For Seasoning:

• OIl - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilies - 2
• Curry leaves - a sprig
• Asafoetida - pinch

HOW TO MAKE:

 

1) Heat 1 1/2 tsps of oil in a vessel. Once the oil is hot, reduce flame, add chana dal, cumin and red chilies and saute till the dal turns light brown. Add green chilies and coriander leaves and saute for 2 mts. Remove the contents from the vessel and keep aside to cool.

2) In the same vessel, add a tbsp of oil, add the red bell pepper pieces and saute for 6 mts. Add the tomatoes and saute for 9-10 mts on low to medium flame. Turn off heat and cool.

3) Blend the dal-red chilies mixture till coarse. Then add the cooled ingredients (tomatoes and red bell peppers) along with salt and grind to a fine paste. Remove into a serving bowl. 

4) Heat a tsp of oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add the curry leaves, red chilies and asafoetida and turn off heat.

5) Pour this tempering over the chutney and serve.