Vengaya Chutney (Shallots Pickle)

A long drive with packed tiffin and lunch in banana leaf, huge water cans and family jam packed in a small car. Yes, I know we have all experienced it. This chutney reminds me of one of those happy days.

I still remember my grandma making batches of these pickle sitting all day in the kitchen and packing for the long day out. Onion chutney along with soft and fluffy idli's is a lip smacking combo and she made the best.

• Preparation time: 20 mins

• cooking time : 20 mins

• Yields - 1 cup

Ingredients: 

To saute and blend:

• Shallots (small red onion) - 20 to 30

• Dried red chilli - 6 (adjust to taste)

• Tamarind - 1 inch ball

• Salt - to taste

• hing - a generous pinch

• Jaggery - 1 tsp (optional)

• Fenugreek powder - 1 tsp

For  seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 2 tsp

• Gingelly oil - 1/4 cup

Direction:

The preparation part is time consuming but it is all worth it. 

Peel , wash, pat dry and cut all the shallots. Then, saute onion, tamarind, red chilli with a tbsp of oil. Once the onion turns translucent grind all ingredients together with salt and asafoetida (hing).

In a pan or wok (preferably a deep and wide pan), heat oil and once hot, add mustard seeds.

Then add the paste to the seasoned oil and keep stirring  on a medium flame until the oil oozes out. Finally add fenugreek powder, mix and turn off the flame.

Note

1. Shallots taste better than red onions. 

2. Soaking the shallots in water for 30 mins will help easily peel the skin off the onions.

3. Gingelly/seasame oil works best for this pickle.

4. Make sure to use a clean and dry glass jar to store the pickle.

Enjoy and Happy cooking !