Tomato and Garlic chutney ... a spicy, tangy and peppy dip

 Life is a mad rush right now. I had thought I could fit in two more posts this month easily but that is not to happen I guess. A hectic weekend and now a Monday that has passed by like a gust on a winter evening.
I know, I know I sound repetitive. But that is how it is .... almost every week.
Anyway .... with Durga Puja just around the corner and the rains playing spoilsport, my mind is not at all in the right place these days.
It has rained steadily for the last fortnight or more and the days and nights are extremely foggy, damp and cold.
I keep looking out for the slightest break in the clouds and a glimpse of sunlight ... no matter how thin.
But no such luck.

I am praying really hard that we get sunny days by Mahalaya.
Fingers crossed.

I do not have much to write tonight.
No, actually I do have but am real pressed for time. With loads  of things to do, I have added two more knitting projects to my daily schedule. And the only time I get to work on them is at night.

So have been sitting up late into nights and knitting, like there is no tomorrow.
And am loving it ... this change in my routine of going to sleep at ten in the night.

 Kind of takes me back to my long gone days when I was just a girl and loved to stay up late into the nights to read or to embroider or knit. I loved the quiet of the nights and the lovely breeze blowing in from our garden .... especially in the summers.

My little doggie would be fast asleep near my feet. And I would be so engrossed that I would have no idea how late it was.
Until Ma came and gave me a final warning to wind up and go to sleep.
Only then I would keep my things aside and go to my bedroom, the sleepy little one at my feet.
As I would climb in and lie down, I could hear her settle down under my bed with a sigh ... which I guess would be of relief.

There ... I am digressing.
Let me now quickly give you the recipe of this super quick Tomato and garlic chutney that I make and store very often.
Packs the punch of garlic and the tartness of the tomatoes.
Needs very less ingredients and is extremely good as a side or a dip.

I love garlic and have used a lot in this chutney. You can go easy on it if you are not much of a fan ... but let me tell you it is the garlic that makes this chutney so lovable.

Need :

Tomatoes - 6, big sized, chopped
Garlic - around 15 or 20 cloves
Onions - 1 medium, roughly chopped
Fresh green  chillies - around 4
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Cooking oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - a pinch 

How  to :

Heat 1 tbsp of cooking oil in a kadahi or wok.

Fry the onions till translucent.

Cool and grind in a mixie along with the garlic + green chilli + tomatoes.

In an open pan pour this mix and let it boil till the rawness goes away and it starts to thicken.

Add salt + sugar + a little red chilli powder and stir well.

In an other kadahi, heat 1 tbsp cooking oil.
Add the mustard seeds and once they start to splutter, add the curry leaves.

Pour this tempering on the tomato mix and let it boil till the chutney thickens well.

Remove from heat and cool.

Store in an air tight glass bottle in the fridge.

This is great on the side with  handvo, idlis or vadas of any kind or any kind of parathas.
A spoonful on  hot rice is absolutely heavenly.
Spread it on a dosa or an uttapam and you won't need anything else for a meal.
And yes, I do spread it on bread too.


Enjoy!!