During Navratri, I don’t use onions and garlic in my cooking. My cooking during those 10 days is more satvic in nature and so it sometimes becomes a challenge to figure out recipes to make which don’t incorporate the two almost essential ingredients in Indian cooking. Though, if I am to be completly honest, tambram cooking generally does not use the two ingredients. But we were getting bored of traditional recipes and so I tried this recipe which was an experiment of sorts. It did come out quite nice and was a good accompaniment to not only idlis and dosais, but also as a substitute to sandwich chutneys.

No Onion, No Garlic Tomato Peanut Chutney

Ingredients:

• 6-8 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
• 8-10 curry leaves
• 5-6 fresh red chillies (you can also use green chillies if you don’t have access to red chillies)
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tsp oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and when warm, add the mustard seeds and let them pop.
• Then add the turmeric powder, asafoetida powder and stir for a couple of seconds.
• Next, add the curry leaves and red chillies and stir till the chillies start to brown and the curry leaves become crisp.
• Now add the roasted peanuts and stir well. Then add the chopped tomatoes and some salt and stir well. Keep stirring the tomatoes occasionally until the tomatoes cook and turn mushy.
• Remove from the flame and cool completely. When cool, blend into a fine paste and serve as an accompaniment to idlis and dosai.