Ginger Chutney

Ingredients

• - 1 cup fresh ginger
• - 2 tbsp roasted chana dal
• - 2 green chillies
• - 1/2 inch ginger
• - Small piece tamarind
• - 1 tsp mustard seeds
• - 1/2 tsp urad dal
• - 1 dried red chilli
• - 1 sprig curry leaves
• - Salt to taste

Method

1. Prepare ginger: Peel 100g fresh young ginger. Cut into thin pieces. Soak in cold water 10 minutes to reduce sharpness.
2. Dry roast dals: Dry roast 2 tbsp chana dal and 1 tbsp urad dal in a pan 3-4 minutes until golden. Cool.
3. Fry ginger: Heat 2 tbsp oil. Fry the ginger pieces on medium heat 8-10 minutes until golden and the sharpness mellows to a sweet nutty flavour.
4. Add chillies, garlic and tamarind: Add 3-4 dried red chillies, 5 garlic cloves and a marble-sized tamarind piece. Fry 3 minutes. Add 1 tsp jaggery and stir. Cool completely.
5. Blend: Transfer fried ginger mixture and roasted dals to a blender. Add salt. Blend with 3-4 tbsp water to a smooth thick paste.
6. Taste: Ginger chutney should be spicy, slightly sweet and deeply gingery.
7. Make tempering: Heat 1 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they pop add 1 tsp urad dal and fry golden.
8. Add aromatics: Add 1 sprig curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida. Pour over chutney.
9. Mix well: Stir the tempering through the ginger chutney.
10. Serve: Ginger chutney is a digestive that pairs particularly well with idli and pesarattu.