Going green w/ Pesarattu and Peanut Coriander Chutney

For some good reasons I was missing in action in food blogging and this post is due from the first week of July, when the Wimbledon finals took place. I composed this post then, but some how couldn't work with the pictures till now. Anyway better late then never.

Wimbledon has a special place in my childhood memory. Back those days I use to watch Steffi Graf win the grand slams, munching summer pineapple slices or enjoying a juicy mango. Ever since my Father introduced me to tennis I have been watching Wimbledon from my school days till college. Though I left it for the past few years, now catching it up with my husband...at least I have to watch the finals, that too when the William sisters were playing.
Thought of making it special for us as it was breakfast time and any special breakfast got to be South Indian, and that day I decide to make Andhra special "Pesarattu".

Pesarattu is Andhra's traditional authentic breakfast dish. It is a thin crape made with green gram lentils batter spread on a greased pan, garnished with finely chopped onions, cumin seeds, chopped ginger and green chillies. A good combo for pesarattu is upma apart from a array of chutneys - peanut, ginger, coconut etc.
This time I wanted to try the peanut coriander chutney which I saw on Sailu's Kitchen blog. Usually whenever I try a new dish its doesn't come out that great, but this time the peanut coriander chutney was a hit.
My husband liked it too. and we all enjoyed the famous pesarattu this this chutney as we cheered the Williams sisters in the final match of Wimbledon 2009.

Pesarattu Recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups Dark green whole Gram (Pesara pappu/Paasi Pairru/Moong Dhal)
2 hand fulls of raw rice
2 inch ginger piece finely chopped
5-10 green chillies finely chopped
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 large onions finely chopped
Salt to taste
Enough oil for frying the Dosas
Directions:
Soak green gram + rice in enough water for at least 3 hours.
Drain the water and grind the dhall along with little ginger, green chilly into a smooth paste, adding enough water. The batter should resemble some what like ithick dosa batter.
Add salt and keep aside for 10 to 30 mins.
Heat a iron tawa or nonstick pan, grease it with oil.
Now add a ladle full of ground green gram batter in the middle of the tawa, and spread it in circular motion away form the centre and towards the edges of the tawa...similar to dosa making. Add a few onions, ginger, green chillies and sprinkle cumin seeds on the top side of the dosa/crape
Pour enough oil on the top and edges of the dosa.
Cover with a deep bottom lid on medium flame for 2-3 minutes or till the bottom of the dosa changes color and becomes crisp.
Flip on to other side and cook for another 2 mins till the dosa and onions are cooked.
Fold and remove from heat.
Repeat the procedure for the rest of the batter.
Serve hot with chutney of choice.
Actually the garnish on the top of the dosa is enough to eat this pesarattu as it is.


Peanut and Coriander Chutney:

One of the simplest chutneys out there...with very few ingredients and less steps, a flavourful chutney is made with ease...usually I'm not so fondly of trying new twists and combo when it comes to cooking..but this chutney didn't disappointment me. Well you can't go wrong with any dish which has coriander in it - India's keeper herb.

Some other time I wish to blog the authentic coriander chutney that my grandmother use to make in my childhood.
Recipe :
Ingredients :
1/2 cup roasted peeled peanuts
1 small bunch coriander leaves,
4-5 green chillies
A big marble size Tamarind ball
Salt to taste
Oil to saute coriander and green chillies.
Directions:
Soak tamarind in just enough water to make it soft for grinding.
Remove the thick edges of coriander stems and wash it thoroughly.
Chop the coriander and keep aside.
Remove stems and slit green chillies into half
Heat a small pot add 1 tsp of oil.
Add the chopped coriander leaves and slit green chillies and saute till nice aroma comes from the roasted leaves.
Remove from heat and pour the soaking tamarind on top of it to bring the heat down quickly.
After this comes to room temperature, combine it with peanuts salt and a enough water and grind into a smooth chutney.
If you want you can add a few cumin seeds while grinding if desired. I skipped it.
Transfer to a serving container to enjoy with dosas, idly, pesarattu, vada etc.
I actually wanted to temper the chutney like how i do for regular peanut or coconut chutney. But it didn't need it..
As it is, it was delicious great tasting, made a good condiment for pesarattu.