Allam Pachadi | Ginger Chutney | Allam Chutney

preparation

1. Take ¼ cup hot water in bowl. Place 1 tablespoon tamarind in it. 
2. Soak tamarind in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
3. After 20 to 30 minutes, squeeze the tamarind pulp directly in the bowl containing water. Extract as much pulp as you can. Keep this tamarind pulp aside.
4. Meanwhile rinse 60 grams ginger or 6 to 7 pieces of 2-inch ginger very well in water. Peel them.
5. Then chop them. You will need ½ cup chopped ginger. Keep aside.

cooking ginger

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small kadai or pan. Keep flame to low and add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds begin to crackle.
2. When the mustard seeds start crackling then add 1 teaspoon urad dal. stirring often fry urad dal.
3. Fry urad dal till the lentils turn golden.
4. Then add 2 dry kashmiri red chillies (broken and seeds removed) and 1 to 2 pinches asafoetida (hing). If the pan becomes too hot, then switch off the flame.
5. Quickly add 10 curry leaves.
6. Mix and fry till the red chilies change color. Do not burn them. The curry leaves will also become crisp.
7. Now add the chopped ginger. mix very well.
8. Add 2 pinches turmeric powder. Mix again and saute on a low flame.
9. Sauté ginger pieces till their raw aroma goes away. Do not sauté too much or brown the ginger.
10. Switch off the flame and keep the pan on kitchen counter-top. Let this allam pachadi mixture cool down or become warm.

making ginger chutney

1. Then place all of the chutney mixture in a grinder-jar. Add the tamarind pulp.
2. Add 1.5 tablespoons jaggery or add as required. Jaggery can be added less or more as per your taste buds and on the quality of tamarind. Dark and aged tamarind is sourer and will need more jaggery.
3. Add salt as per taste.
4. Add 4 to 5 tablespoons water or as required and grind chutney to a smooth consistency.
5. Remove ginger chutney in steel bowl and keep aside.

tempering ginger chutney

1. In a tadka pan or a small pan, heat 2 teaspoons oil. Keep flame to a low. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them begin to crackle.
2. As the mustard seeds start crackling, add ½ teaspoon urad dal.
3. Stirring often fry urad dal till they turn golden.
4. Then add 5 to 6 curry leaves. Stirring often fry them for a few seconds till they become crisp.
5. Switch off flame and add the entire tempering mixture to the ginger chutney.
6. Mix very well. Check for taste of salt and if required you can add more salt in the allam chutney.
7. Serve ginger chutney with idli, dosa, pesarrattu or rice.