1001 Coconut Chutneys

:: Coconut Chutney – A primer :: Resposted for Padmajha's Let's go nuts event.

Coconut chutney is probably the easiest chutney you can make. Add a handful of coconut, green chili and salt to a blender and blend to a paste – that’s it, fresh coconut chutney is ready in under a minute. It is also the most consumed chutney in south India. It is eaten with almost everything.

In Tamilnadu, it is called Thenga Chutney and accompanies idlis and dosas. In Andhra, it is known as Kobbari Pachadi and is eaten with rice. In Kerala, it is called Thenga Chammanthi and is served with congee (Rice porridge). In Karnataka, coconut is blended with yogurt into a Thambuli and is eaten mixed with rice. It is however Andhra, which boasts of some of the most innovative Coconut chutneys.

The basic building blocks of a coconut chutney are the base, flavouring and goodies added.

Coconut mixed with a souring agent forms the base for many varieties of chutneys. (See points 2 to 6 in column 1)
Coconut - Mango chutney
Coconut - Tamarind leaves chutney
Coconut- Yogurt chutney
Coconut- Tamarind chutney
Coconut – Lemon chutney Apart from what is listed in the table, you can experiment by using other souring agents like Kokkum, vinegar etc.

Coconut blended with fresh green chilies or dry red chilies gives two very different looking and tasting chutneys. (See points 0, 1 in column 1)
Coconut chutney with fresh green chilies
Coconut with red chilies For more variations, try using other chilies like jalapeno, habenaro etc.

Roasted/ fried or sun dried coconuts form the base for yet another class of dry chutneys. These dry chutneys can be stored for weeks. (See points 8, 9 in column 1) Toasted coconut chutney
Change the amount of water you add while blending them and they go from being a dry, coarse powder to a soupy liquid and everything in between.
Dry coconut chutney (Karnataka)
Semisolid Coconut Chutney (Kerala) Experiment by varying the amount of water used while blending to create chutneys with just the right consistency you like.

A wide variety of goodies like vegetables / herbs / nuts and pulses can be blended along with coconut to create scores of chutneys. (See points 1 - 8 in column 2)
Coconut Peanut chutney
Coconut – Garlic chutney
Coconut- Mint chutney
Coconut- Tomato chutney
Coconut - Carrot chutney
Coconut - Ginger chutney
Coconut-Roasted gram chutney Experiment by blending your favourite goodies with coconut.

Once you get comfortable with these basic building blocks, you’ll not go wrong in dreaming up your own chutneys. You might even blend never-before-made chutneys !

And that is my third submission for AFAM - coconut