Ullipaya Pachchadi (Onion Chutney)

All my life, well, until I started blogging, of course, chutney was the one made in a typical Marathi household and the other was one we ate in a restaurant, rightfully termed as 'hotel chi chutney' ( back in those days, we called restaurant as hotel..) To my mind, the hotel chi chutney was a complicated blend ( bear with me, as a child I had fantastic ideas about anything and everything). So, the chutney made at home as green and the one in a restaurant was white-ish. and any other color ( ex: red = lasoon chutney or Bijapur chuney ) was dry , strictly that.
When I started blogging, I came across different varieties that boggled the mind. It reinforced the fact that Indians make chutneys out of everything!
( I am still of the opinion that a brinjal/ eggplant chutney is going a bit too far, but then, it takes all kinds to make the world!)


When I received my copy of Cooking with Pedatha I hungrily thumbed thru it and  fell in love with  all her recipes ( even the eggplant ones- for the husband - strictly) and  I kept going back to the Pachchadi section.
the cookbook showcases 13 pachchadis all with stunning pictures and in many recipes, there is a small note on the side which gives you a slight variation that can be made  to change the taste a bit, giving it a new avatar.  One pachchadi 2 ways! 
Out of  all the different varieties I chose to go with the Onion pachchadi first. I have seen variations of onion chutney across blogs but though interested, I was not willing to try them. I was a bit apprehensive about  the strong smell and I have somehow associated  that with a slightly bitter and unpalatable taste.


As I read the recipe, I realized this was different, at least from the ones I had read. There seemed to a harmonious blend of spices which would mellow the strong tones of the onion. Nor had I erred. try this recipe to see what I mean.
It goes very well with idli, dosa and plain rice. 

You need:


3 Onions ( roughly chopped) - I used Red onions
2 inch piece Fresh Ginger grated
2 Tbsp. thick Tamarind pulp
1 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste


TEMPERING:
1 Tbsp Split black gram , huskd/ urad daal
2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp. Fenugreek seeds
8- 10 Red chilies nicked at tail, stalks retained
3-4 Green chilies 
1/2 cup Cilantro, roughly torn, chopped
6-8 Curry leaves with  stem
1 tsp Asafetida powder


In a  wok, heat oil for tempering.


Add the urad daal, as it turns golden add mustard seeds and then fenugreek seeds


Lower the heat with the browning of the fenugreek seeds, add the red chilies. as they turn bright red stir in the remaining ingredients for tempering.


Add the onion and ginger. roast for  4-5 minutes  until the raw smell of the onion disappears


Grind along with tamarind pulp and salt into a coarse paste. Do not add water when grinding.


Serve with Idlis, Dosa  or mix into plain white rice with a dollop of ghee.


VARIATION:


Add a medium sized tomato, chopped and roasted in oil along with the onions for a tasty  variation.