Zucchini Chutney

I am seriously thinking of writing a book '50 different dishes using Zucchini'.
Yes, I am serious. If I do write it, will you buy the book? I promise it won't be very expensive.

Funny how I have put up so many different things with Zucchini so far when I could hardly pronounce the word Zucchini a decade back.

This is a quick and healthy chutney which can be served with dosa, idli or with plain rice. If mixing with plain rice, you might want to add little bit of oil or ghee while mixing it. Do read the Notes which gives you many variations of the same dish.

Ingredients:
Zucchini - 1 large quartered lengthwise and sliced (I left the skin on, but you may opt to remove it)
Tomatoes - 2 medium cut into chunks (optional - see notes)
Oil - 2 TBSP divided use
Green chillies - 15 or as per taste
Salt - to taste
Tamarind - a small key lime size or 1/2 tsp of tamarind paste
Dalia/Hurigadale/roasted gram dal - 3/4 cup
Curry leaves - a few
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - a big pinch

Method:
In a skillet, heat 1 TBSP of oil. When hot, add green chillies, curry leaves and the cut zucchini. Sprinkle with some salt and let it cook. When it is almost cooked, add tomatoes. Let them cook together for couple of minutes and turn off the heat.
When they have cooled down a bit, place them in the blender. To the blender, add tamarind paste (if using tamarind, soak in very less water and let it soften before adding to the blender), dalia. Grind all the ingredients with no additional water (zucchini has so much water, you don't need any).
In another small skillet, heat the remaining 1 TBSP of oil. When hot, add mustard seeds, hing. When the mustard seeds have spluttered, turn off the heat and pour the oil on the ground chutney. Mix well and serve with idli, dosa or plain rice.

Notes:
I used tomatoes because I had bought too many tomatoes from the farmer's market. I have made this before without tomatoes. You will have to add a little more tamarind if you don't use tomatoes.
For a change, you can add couple of cloves of garlic, omit hing and saute chopped red onion along with zucchini to get zucchini onion chutney.
I used dalia or roasted gram dal since I was short on time. If you have time and patience, you can roast chana dal (use just 1/2 cup) and use that instead. It will give you another taste variation.
While grinding, you can add about half a cup of chopped cilantro or some mint.
If you are a coconut lover, add about 1/2 cup of shredded coconut while grinding.
If you like cumin smell and taste, add some cumin before adding zucchini to the oil. It will be a totally different flavor all together. 
If you cannot find zucchini, this can be made with long squash or doodhi or lauki.

Enjoy!! Pin It