Curry leaf chutney (dipping )

Happy St.Patrick's Day!
I am very glad to post something green on this day.
I wish to make a post on some herb for Weekend Herb Blogging event started by Kalyn and now conducted by Halo . This week it is hosted by Yasmeen of Health Nut. Congrats dear!
The herb I have chosen is the curry leaf (Botanical name: murraya koenigi).
Hope this curry leaf chutney suits the event.

(courtesy : google images)
The curry leaf plant belongs to shrub variety and is a native of India ,Sri Lanka in Asia.
Where to find it? In all Indian stores. Globally they call it as curry leaf in English.
What is the price? Up to my knowledge , we can get a small pack of curry leaf (just enough to make this chutney) for one dollar in USA.
How to select them? Choose fresh and tender leaves.
Medicinal value:
It is used to treat kidney disorders, digestive disorders, premature grey hair, premature aged look, skin problems, nausea, vision disorders etc.
In case of a digestive upset, buttermilk enriched with the paste of curry leaves, common salt and cumin seed powder is recommended.

But the most popular dish recommended for diabetic patients, weight loss stimulant, beauty therapy is to make chutney / dipping out of it.
Because the curry leaves just like any other herb will tend to loose its medicinal value on overheating. Moreover each and every ingredient in this chutney will help our body to absorb the nutrients from the curry leaf.

Here is the recipe.

Curry leaf chutney / curry leaf dipping.

Ingredients:
Curry leaf - 15 sprigs (1 pack)
Shredded coconut - 2 tbsp
Tamarind extract - 1/2 tsp
green chilly - 3
cilantro leaf - a handful
garlic - 1 pod
cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
salt - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Remove the center stem in each brig and take the curry leaves alone.
Wash the cilantro and curry leaves in running water.
Remove the skin of garlic.
In a blender / mixer add all the above and grind them to a fine thick paste with very little water.
Curry leaf chutney is ready!

Notes: Do not temper the chutney as it may reduce the medicinal values.
We can add 3 drops of lime instead of tamarind juice.
Cilantro can be omitted , but it enhances the flavor.
Shredded coconut can be substituted by coconut milk, if you are using it as a dipping. But authentic chutney will have shredded coconut as the thickening agent.
Fresh garlic and cumin helps in absorption of the nutrients from the curry leaf.
Reduce the green chilly to suit your taste buds.

Serving suggestions:
In India it is Served as side dish / dipping for Idly , dosa, rice, roti.
It can also be used as spread on sandwiches and pizzas.
we can make it in advance and mix a pinch with buttermilk for a healthy drink.

If you want to know more about curry leaves , here are some links:
Medicinal values of curry leaf.
Curry leaf in Ayurveda.
curry leaf - other names.

Coconut Chutney .

Chutneys are similar to  dippings like blue cheese or tomato sauce. Indian dishes like Dosa and Idly are mostly served with coconut chutney.
Here is my mother's special thengai chutney.

To grind:
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
(You can substitute it with frozen coconut also. But the original chutney flavor comes with full coconut newly grated only.)
Puffed channa dhal (pori kadalai / pottu kadalai)- 2 tbsp.
green chillies - 4.
tamarind - 1 inch bit.
salt- 1/2 tsp.

To garnish:
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp,
Urid dhal - 1/4 tsp.
curry leaves - 1 sprig.
Red chilli -1 (cut in to 2 pieces)
shallot onion (small onion)- 1 .(chopped)
oil- 1 tbsp.
Method:
We need an Indian mixer to grind the chutney. Put all the items given for grind in a small jar of the mixer.Close the lid. First run the mixer without adding water. Then after a second add 1/2 cup water and grind the chutney in to a fine thick paste.
Heat a frying pan. Add urid dhal and mustard seeds. wait to hear the cracking sound of mustard. Add chopped onions , red chilli and curry leaves. Put off the flame. Then add the chutney (while pan is hot, but switched OFF). Mix well.
Then transfer it to the serving bowl.
Serving suggestions:
Makes nearly 200 ml or 1 cup chutney.
It can be served as a side dish / dipping for Dosa, Idly, Vada, Pongal etc.
Note:
My mother inlaw would bring it to a boil before switching off. That too tastes good.
Instead of pori kadalai, we can use roasted groundnut too.