Chana-Kairi Chutney

The best part of Summers are the wide array of mango dishes.. sweet, savoury, raw, ripe.... u name it and every region can produce its own repertoire of  Mangifera Indica!

The Chana- Kairi chutney is a staple in every Maharashtrian home. A dry, coarsely ground side dish, it packs a punch of flavour and can elevate the humblest of meals. 

This chutney can be made without the mango as well, but personally, i love the punch of the tangy raw mango.  

To prepare the Chana- Kairi Chutney you will need:
1 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram)
5 green chilles
2 tsp cumin seeds
pinch turmeric
3 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp sugar
pinch asafoetida
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 medium raw mango, grated
red chilli powder and salt to taste

Method: Soak the chana dal for 3-4 hours. Run in the food processor with the green chillies and 1 tsp of cumin seeds. Take care to ensure its coarsely ground and not a fine paste. Mix in the raw mango, red chilli powder, salt, sugar and turmeric. Heat oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds, asafoetida and the remaining cumin seeds. Mix in the chana dal and cook on a low flame. When the mixture starts to dry, cover and continue to cook till the grains start to separate and the moisture evaporates. Serve as a side to any meal!

HANDY TIPS: 

> While the dal cooks, ensure you stir requently to prevent it from sticking to the pan. 

> If the chutney seems a little too dry, heat some oil in a pan and mix into the chutney with a splash of warm water.

> For an uncooked version, simply temper the ground dal and spices with a mixture of mustard seeds, asafoetida and red chilli powder.
> Store in the refrigerator for upto 2 weeks.