Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Chutney with Red bell pepper & Ridge gourd peels

100_6706

When Indira blogged about her recipe for chutney with red bell peppers, I knew that I had to make it. It was again one of those recipes where one look at it tells you that you are gonna like it. (And at Indira's blog, you get this feeling after reading every post. :)) However, once I made sure that I had all the ingredients, and started making this chutney, some other ingredients expressed the willingness to be a part of it. :) In other words: I had some ridge gourd peels lying around on the kitchen top at that time. ;-)
What came out was a delicious chutney. (It got over in a couple of hours!) Perhaps it does not taste too different from the original. (Or maybe the original one tastes better!) I am yet to try out the original recipe by Indira. However, what I am happy & excited about is that I used ridge gourd peels, which are thrown away otherwise.

Having said that, I must make it clear that using peels of vegetables in chutneys is not really 'my' idea. It is rather common in the Maharastrian cuisine. (And maybe other cuisines too? Please let me know.)
I like it for two reasons.
A) You benefit from the nutrients, which are in or right under the peel.
B) You generate less waste!!
What you emerge as, after eating this, is a healthy plus environment-friendly person. :)

Before I get tempted into more exaggeration and word-play, here is the recipe. :)

Recipe for Red bell pepper chutney with ridge gourd peels

Ingredients:

1 large red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 medium red/yellow onion, cut into chunks
peels of 1 ridge gourd
3-4 dried red chillis, broken into 2-3 pieces each
1 tsp oil
¼ cup roasted, peeled & crushed peanuts (I used store-bought roasted peanuts.)
1 tsp readymade tamarind concentrate, dissolved in some water
½ tbsp jaggery or to taste
salt to taste

1 tsp cumin seeds

100_6702

Clockwise from left: chopped yellow onion, chopped red bell pepper, ridge gourd peels

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan/skillet. Sauté the first four ingredients in it until light brown. Let cool.
2. Mix all ingredients apart from the cumin seeds in a mixie/food processor and grind till it reaches a smooth paste-like consistency. Add water as you go, if necessary. Take it out into a serving bowl.
3. Heat the same pan that you used for roasting the veggies. Roast the cumin seeds in it until darker in colour and aromatic.
4. Sprinkle these roasted cumins seeds over the chutney. (That's garnishing and seasoning in one! :))
5. Mix the chutney well when serving.

This one is a great accompaniment to any kind of dosas or a side-dish with any kinda meals. What Indira paired it with are these yummy Besan dosas. (Next on my must-try list.) If you want it to be a totally 'green' breakfast (environmentally, that is), serve the chutney with these pancakes by Ashwini, which can be made using the white part of watermelons. Yes, the part which is usually thrown away. (Bye bye, Waste-bin? :))

While I leave you wondering whether waste-bins are really necessary, let me rush my post to Cate for her ARF/5-a-day event and to Nandita for her next edition of Weekend Breakfast Blogging. Bye.

33 comments:

Ashwini said...

That was a good idea - combining the peels with red pepper. You know they make a chutney with peels only? Thats so good you wouldnt believe it...

Anonymous said...

Oh, Vaishali, what a neat combination! You upped a notch, aha:) I like your version of chutney verymuch!

Thanks for letting me know and for the links, I greatly appreciate it.

Yep, we (Andhrawallas) prepare a chutney with ridgegourd peel.Onions, green chillies, ridgegourd peel, tamarind and salt. Saute and grind. That's it. Tastes superb just like the red bell pepper chutney.

So, what did you have this chutney with?, Dosas, Rice or bread?:)

Revathi said...

My amma does ridgegourd peel chutney with tamarind, red chillies, coconut and the peel.

HEre out of sheeer laziness I doo the chutney out of the pulp and throw away the peel...

Good recipe...

Anonymous said...

Whoa !! I blogged the same chutney today ! What a coincidence :)

Good reipe there.

RP said...

Great! I love learning new chutney recipes.

Krithika said...

Isn't this chutney amazing ? Peanut, jaggery and bellpepper combo is so good. I too kike to incorporate peels wherever possible.

Vaishali said...

Ashwini, I too make one chutney with ridge gourd peels. It is dryish and sweetish. Just came to know that Mythili has blogged about her home recipe. We are definitely going 'green', aren't we? :)

Indira, I served this chutney as an accompaniment to a regular meal. To be honest, the main curries got sidelined that day. :)

Revathi, ridge gourd chutney with coconut? Will try it out. And I appreciate that you weren't so lazy as to not drop by my blog. :)

Checked out your post, Mythili. Am including a link to it through my post. :)

Thanks for stopping by, RP.

Krithika, would love to see where you incorporate the peels. I am sure, it will be something delicious.

Anonymous said...

With peel, really? Gosh! I have never even imagined that..Thats a fantastic idea..no to waste those peels..Thanks a lot

Shammi said...

Oh yep, chutney (or thogayal) made with ridge gourd peels, hard leaves of cabbage, chow-chow peel, etc - my mom makes 'em all. :)

Anonymous said...

Hey Vaishali,
Nice twist to bell pepper chutney. My aunt makes chutney using peel of ridge gourd alone with coconut, roasted channa dal, red chillies,tamarind and salt.It taste very good with dosa.

Meeta K. Wolff said...

This is a great a great idea. I loved Indira's chutney too and think your idea adding the peels sounds great.

How is it going with your in-laws?

Menu Today said...

Hi Vaishali,
I too prepare chutney with ridge gourd skin.Adding capsicum is new to me. Nice Post.

Anupama said...

Great recipe Vaishali, I make chutney from Ridge gourd too but its a dry powder chutney which you eat by adding a little oil to it.

Shah cooks said...

hi,
I am a new commentor on your site. Nice recipes. Can I request the recipe of the typical Maharashtrian red chilli -garlic dry chutney?
Thanks and keep it up.

Deetsa said...

I'm always keen to learn new recipes, especially with ingredients I have seen but haven't tried. In this case it's ridge gourd. This is a nice site. I look forward to reading more :)

Vaishali said...

LG, now tell me, do you grow ridge gourds too?

Shammi, hard leaves of cabbage? Now that's something new to me. Hope you blog about it sometime.

Madhu, I knew while I was writing this post that I'd get to hear about many versions of ridge gourd chutney from fellow bloggers. :)

Meeta, my in-laws are doing fine. With 37 degrees Celsius here, they feel at home. :) Thanks for asking, dearie.

Thanks for dropping by, Menu Today.

Welcome to my blog, Shaheen. I'll be glad to do a post on the chutney that you've requested. I love cooking on 'farmaaish', you know. :)

Thanks for visiting my blog, Nerissa. Hope to see you here often. :)

BDSN said...

Wow the combination of ridgegourd peels is indeed a nice touch to the chutney!!I love chappathis with redbell pepper chutney!!

Anonymous said...

hello

Unknown said...

Hey
Very innovative idea of using ridge gourd peels. Sure you must be interested with the Orange peel chutnaey too:

http://www.indusladies.com/forums/36701-post72.html

Anonymous said...

Great post you got here. It would be great to read more concerning this matter.
BTW look at the design I've made myself A level escort

jimmychooshoes said...

jimmy choo wedges
jimmy choo wedges
jimmy choo louboutin
jimmy choo pumps
jimmy choo louboutin
christian louboutin simple pump
christian louboutin flats
christian louboutin decollete
black strappy sandals
black strappy sandals
alexander mcqueen

فيس بوك said...

very lovely combining i think it will be goooood

Food - recipes - cooking said...

This is a extraordinary illustrative Blog...!!!!

buy cheap wow gold said...

Oh, Vaishali, a combination that clean! She raised the notch, the AHA:) I like the version of the chutney, verymuch! Thanks for letting me and the links, I greatly appreciated. Yes, we (Andhrawallas) to prepare peel.Onions ridgegourd with chutney, green chilli, ridgegourd bark, tamarind and salt. Fry and grind. That;s it. Great flavors, like chili chutney.Cheap Tera GoldTera Power LevelingTera AccountTera ItemsRS GoldTera Gold

mmohome.com said...

watched hungry.



Cheap Runescape Gold

Cheapest WOW Gold

Anonymous said...

Temperature this
Buy Diablo 3 items essential oil in a very pan/skillet. Sauté the initial 4 ingredients in it till light brown leafy. Guild Wars 2 Gold kaufen Enable great.

chinese designer brand said...

Oh, Vaishali, what a neat combination! You upped a notch, aha:) I like your version of chutney verymuch!

Thanks for letting me know and for the links, I greatly appreciate it.

love thomass said...

I feel my ideas and methods may be a problem, but very confused and do not know how to do, so ask the experts how to grow up.You can learn more: China tour packages | China travel packages | China Travel Agency

Unknown said...

With the finish way of lifestyle get 6%, it would be enough for you to withstand at Beast Power 7 and above. Do you know the price for this inactive skill? I would explain to you by analysis. This Uncommon Great Tool I bought lately at only 8 thousand D3 Gold with +111 Strength, Critical Hit harm 88% and a store.

Buy WOW Gold  RS Gold  Buy Diablo 3 Gold

Unknown said...

The aspects for this is actually very primary. The sportfishing career is both simple to expert and fast to stage up, and there are of course a lot of gold that you can make by doing this.

RS Gold  Buy Diablo 3 Gold   Buy Guild Wars 2 Gold

summermobile said...

Heat the same pan that you used for roasting the veggies. Roast the cumin seeds in it until darker in colour and aromatic.
http://www.meizu-mx5.com/
http://www.htc-one-m9.com/

Unknown said...

However, what I am happy & excited about is that I used ridge gourd peels, which are thrown away otherwise.
http://www.htc-one-m9.com/
http://www.meizu-mx5.com/

Sangeetha said...

Check out the innovative and different types of chutney recipes at dialbe.com