Category: Pongal

#Authentic #GettiChutney #MortarPestle #SouthIndianFood

Famously known as ‘Getti Chutney’ in South India, this delectable chutney is nothing but a basic coconut chutney grounded in stone mortar & pestle. It’s always a common sight to see in South Indian restaurants where people specifically prefer ‘Getti chutney’ with tiffin varieties.

How to make Getti Chutney | Restaurant Style Thick Chutney?

‘Getti’ in Tamil means anything that is thick in texture. As the name suggest, this chutney is prepared using very less amount of water to get a coarse, thick texture. It tastes super delicious when ingredients are coarsely grounded in mortar & pestle. Believe me, you’ll notice a great enhancement in taste, flavour and texture than the usual version made in mixer grinder.

Though time consuming, many South Indian households still follow this age-old method of grinding it in mortar & pestle. For quicker method, one can always use mixer grinder with just sprinkling of water while making.

Here, I have given both the versions… i.e., in a mortar & pestle and also in a mixer grinder. I have a small stone mortar & pestle that belonged to my Grandma and now it is one of the treasured possessions in my kitchen. In winters, I always use this to grind chutneys that has coconut in it. Due to cold weather, oil gets separated from coconut while grinding in mixer grinder.

Ingredients

1. Coconut / Nariyal – 1 cup, grated
2. Roasted Chana – 1 1/2 tbsp
3. Green Chillies – 2 or 3 (as per the taste), chopped
4. Tamarind / Imli – a small gooseberry sized, soaked in water for 10 mins
5. Salt to taste

For Tadka

1. Oil – 1 tsp (preferably sesame / til oil)
2. Rai – 1/4 tsp
3. Urad dhal – 1/4 tsp
4. Hing – a pinch
5. Curry Leaves – few leaves, torn into pieces
6. Red chilly- 1, broken into 2 and deseeded

Method

In Mortar & Pestle

• Wash the stone mortar & pestle nicely. Place grated coconut, chopped green chillies, roasted chana, salt and soaked imli on the mortar.
• Using the pestle, start crushing or pounding the ingredients from one end to other.
• Scrap the ingredients that have gathered at the corners. Bring it together in the centre and again start crushing to form a coarse paste. 

• Sprinkle few drops of water as and when required to help in the even grinding.
• Once done, scrap it with the help of a spoon and gather it in a bowl.

In Mixer Grinder

• Place grated coconut, chillies, imli, salt, roasted chana in a chutney
  jar and pulse it slightly for 3 or 4 times.
• You could notice that the ingredients have coarsely grounded by now. Scrap them from all the corners and from the lid with a spoon.
• Sprinkle very little amount of water and pulse it again for 3 or 4 times. 
• Check for the consistency and the texture of the chutney. If it is coarsely but evenly grounded, transfer it to a bowl. If not done, then pulse it for few more times.

 Tadka

• Heat 1 tsp of til oil in a kadai and add rai. 
• When it splutters, add urad dhal, hing, curry leaves, red chilly and sauté till urad dhal turns golden in colour.
• Pour it over the chutney and mix well. Serve it with hot idly or dosa
  or upma or pongal.

 Notes

• This chutney stays fresh for many hours and is best suited for tiffin
  box and travel food options.
• You can add ginger, garlic, fresh coriander to enhance the flavours
  to this basic chutney. But we like it simple and plain when it comes to
  relishing ‘Getti’ chutney. 
• Tadka is optional. You can skip it and add few curry leaves and hing
  while grinding itself.
• This Chutney goes well with idly, venpongal, dosa, vada, upma, bajji varieties.

For more delicious chutney recipes, plz check out Thenga Paruppu Thogaiyal, Chia Seeds Chutney, Puzhimilagai, Green Garlic Coriander Chutney.

Happy Cooking!