Parangikkai chutney/ Yellow pumpkin Chutney

Parangikkai Chutney - Yellow pumpkin, onions and tomatoes sauteed, ground and seasoned making an excellent side dish. I love to make chutneys with veggies because that is an easier way to make children (sometimes adults too) to eat the veggies. Chutneys prepared in this manner nutritious and are excellent alternative to the regular Onion-tomato chutney and coconut based Chutney. Yellow pumpkin is rich in beta carotene, so I include it in the chutneys, gravies and soups. This chutney is appealing to the eyes as well as to the taste buds. Coconut is not used in this recipe unlike other chutney recipes.

How to make:

Chop the veggies. Onions, tomatoes, yellow pumpkin, garlic, a piece of tamarind are sauteed in oil till tender. Lentils such as urad Dal and Chana Dal are roasted in oil till golden along with red chillies. Cooked veggies, roasted dals, chillies along with added crystal salt are ground to chutney consistency and seasoned with mustard seeds , split urad Dal, curry leaves, red chillies and powdered hing. Sesame oil is used in this recipe. 

Storage:

Even though coconut is not used, the chutney stays good only for a day in the fridge as we have used onions and tomatoes.

Serving Suggestions:

The chutney goes well with idli, dosa and can be used as a spread for roti. To use as a spread, grind the chutney to a slightly thicker consistency and avoid tamarind.

Substitutions:

• Use any flavoured oil instead of sesame oil.
• Shallots can be used in the place of regular onions. Use same quantity as that of regular onions.

Variations:

You can make this chutney without onion and garlic, eliminate onion and garlic, include a carrot and green chillies.

You may also try:

Capsicum chutney

Carrot chutney

Chow-Chow Chutney

Equipments Used: Kadai/frying pan/saucepan, blender, seasoning pan.

Recipe:

Pumpkin Chutney

A nutritious chutney made with yellow pumpkin, onions, tomatoes and dals.

Total Time Taken: under 20 minutes

No. of Persons: 4

1 cup = 250ml

Ingredients with measurements:

Oil - 1 tbsp

Yellow Pumpkin - 1 cup

Onion - 1 cup

Tomatoes - 1 cup

Garlic - 2 or 3 cloves

Tamarind - marble size

Red chillies - 4

Whole white urad dal - 1 tsp

Chana dal - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Tempering:

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad Dal - 3/4 tsp

Curry leaves - a sprig

Hing - a pinch

Red chillies - 2

Directions with pics:

1. Heat oil in a kadai/pan, add chana dal, urad dal, tamarind, red chillies, saute till golden. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add onions, tomatoes, garlic, pumpkin. Saute and cook till tender. Sprinkle water if required. Allow to cool.

3. Take everything in the blender.

4. Blend till smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding some water.

5. Heat oil in a seasoning pan and add mustard seeds, when it crackles, add urad dal, red chillies, curry leaves, hing. 

6. Pour the seasoning over the chutney.

Note:

Reduce the amount of red chillies and add green chillies if you would like to.