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CHUTNEYS /
DIPPINGS
Pickles and dipping often referred as Achar and Chutneys is
a spicy preparation and one of the most important accompaniments for the main
dish. In South India pickles are considered
more of a ritual to start a meal with and consist of large varieties from hot,
sweet and spicy. Achar is mainly prepared and stored for a longer time or a
year.
There is no limit
to the number of chutneys as it can be made virtually from any vegetable/
fruit/ herb/ spices or a combination of them. Chutneys come in two major
groups, sweet and hot; both forms usually contain various spices, including
chilli, but differ by their main flavor. In the olden days, fresh chutneys were
ground on a stone called the ammikkal. But now days, it is prepared in electric
blenders. The wet paste is later seasoned. Chutneys are a vital combination to
most of the South Indian tiffins like the Idli, Dosa, Upma, Pesarattu etc.
Fresh Chutneys
can be prepared from Coriander, Mint or Pudina, Tamarind
or Imli, Coconut, Onion, Tomato,
Red chilli, Green Chilli, Peanut,
Ginger etc. Other
spices most commonly added to prepare the chutney are fenugreek, corinader,
cumin and asafoetida.
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