It was just yesterday when I sat down to lunch after work that I was served hot and crispy South Indian pancakes on my plate. Yes, I’m talking about Uttapams. The fluffy, soft rice flour pancakes were stuffed with tomatoes, onions and some green chillies. The perfectly round and thin pancakes came with a bowl of piping hot sambhar and a white coconut chutney on the side. One bite in and I realized that the chutney was quite watery and the consistency was not correct. I pointed it out to my mother and well, she agreed to it too.
This has been a very common instance in our house. The first step itself, i.e. breaking the coconut is where we fail. My mother struggles to find the right kind of coconut which is appropriate for making a thick and coarse chutney. This reminds of the time when she had to make the same chutney thrice in order to bring it to the near-perfect state and well, we had guests over, so she was definitely worried.
I always wonder why the chutney doesn’t come out as flavourful and delicious every time. If you’ve been wondering the same, the answer is pretty simple. There is not just one, but a host of factors which determine the taste and texture of the chutney.
Here are some hacks that you should keep in mind while preparing coconut chutney at home.
1. All About The Coconut
Since coconut is the main ingredient of the condiment, it is very important to choose the right one. For instance, you should look at the colour of the coconut. If it is pale in colour but fresh, then it is an ideal choice. The dark brown coconuts do not work well for this chutney. So take care while selecting the fruit.
2. All About The Colour
Coconut chutney, by default, is assumed to be white in colour. Something that doesn’t match this image means that some mistake has happened. For a pure white colour of your chutney, ensure that while scrapping the flesh out of the shell, do not scrap the brown parts. If you scoop out more of the white part and avoid the brown skin, the chutney would yield a nice white colour. Moreover, milk can also help to give it the desired colour.
3. All About The Consistency
The coconut chutney should neither be too watery nor too dry. The coarsely ground coconut should be blended well to give a smooth texture. The thickness of the coconut chutney needs to be balanced so it is best if you add little bit of water in the beginning and keep adding it whenever the need arises. In case, it turns too watery, add some coconut to make it thick.
4. All About The Taste
The chutney should have natural sweetness to it which can be complemented with the addition of certain spices like green chillies, red chilli powder, mint, coriander etc. This gives a distinct flavour to the chutney.