STAR GOOSEBERRY CHUTNEY & SEASONED BUTTERMILK makes a delicious lunch!

We usually cook 'Sona Masoori' variety of rice for our lunch everyday. That's not the rice I have grown up eating but I have no problems with it because I was used to eating it in my hostel so it goes down well with me. A few days ago, I had a strong inclination towards the 'chommanri choru' /Kerala fat red rice and made a small portion of it. When I have that rice, I want everything 'naadan' which goes perfectly well with it. So I made some Chicken Cutlets, a Chutney , some seasoned buttermilk plus a Cabbage Thoran. I was very satisfied...I almost licked my plate clean! :)

 

We usually buy our seafood from an Asian store and they are loud,messy but filled with every Asian thing you can think of! That's when I saw a bottle of Star Gooseberry in saline. I immediately grabbed a bottle and waited to get back home so that I could break open the bottle and eat. Unfortunately,it was sweet...yes and I was thoroughly dissapointed. I was warned by my friends that these things could be sweet so I did check the label in the stor...but there was no sugar mentioned anywhere!

Anyhow, I drained out all that liquid and put back some fresh water and also added a few spoonfuls of salt hoping the sweetness would reduce somehow.Luckily it did and I made good use of it by making a chutney/chammanthi with it.

STAR GOOSEBERRY CHUTNEY /ARI NELLIKKA CHAMMANTHI
My own recipe

Ingredients:
1 c Star gooseberry in saline.crushed and seeds removed
1/2 c shredded coconut
5-6 green chillies or to taste
1/2  large red onion,chopped
1/2" piece of ginger
Salt to taste

Method:
Pound everything using a mortar - pestle, adjust seasoning as required.
Form them in to a ball and serve with rice.

Seasoned buttermilk was a natural choice to go with a spicy dry chutney. The combination of rice and these sides are delicious and too hard for me to give a pass, anytime.

SEASONED BUTTERMILK / PACCHA MORU
My own recipe

Ingredients:
1c lowfat plain yogurt ( You can use any plain yogurt)
1" piece ginger
4 green chilles
3 curry leaves (not sprigs, but leaves)
1/4 large red onion, chopped
1c water
Salt to taste

Method:
Bruise ginger,green chilles, curry leaves and onions using a mortar pestle.
Whisk yoghurt and water together.
Add salt and the crushed ingredients.
If your yoghurt was thick, you may have to add more water to thin it.
Adjust spice if needed.
Serve chilled with rice.

Verdict: A happy 'burp' says it all! :)

I am sending all these yummilicious goodies to Kerala Kitchen, a monthly event Magpie and yours truly are hosting.So, once again, if you guys are making or already made some Kerala goodies, do not forget to send it to magpiemails AT gmail DOT com.