I do love ginger chutneys, but make them only rarely. That’s because the balance of ginger and other ingredients must be perfect to get a great tasing chutney. Otherwise, the bitter taste of the ginger will come through. This recipe, from the South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh/Telengana is a classic. It pairs well with breakfast dishes like dosai and idli. You can also eat it with rice and a bland dal/kuzhambu. Or just mix it into the rice.
Don’t let my comments seem like this dish is a major exercise. It is actually quite simple. And if the bitter taste of the ginger comes through, just add a little more date paste to balance the taste. I had this chutney with dosai and thoroughly enjoyed it. Go ahead and transform your day too with this super tasting chutney!

Ingredients
For The Chutney
75 gms ginger (no need to peel)
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp Bengal gram (chana dal, kadalai parupu)
1 tbsp split black lentils (urad dal, ulutham parupu)
1 tbsp coriander seeds (sabut dhania, kothamalli varai)
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dhana, venthiyam)
1 tsp cumin seeds (sabut jeera, jeeragam)
3 dried red chilis
50 gms tamarind soaked in warm water for 15 minutes and juice extracted
Unrefined salt to taste
1/2 cup water
For The Tempering
1 tsp mustard seeds (sarson, kadugu)
1/2 tsp Bengal gram
1/2 tsp split black lentils
A pinch of asafoetida (hing, perunkayam)
2 dried red chilis, broken
1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
Method
Heat a pan and add the ginger
Sprinkle a little water and sauté the ginger till it turns slightly brown
Add the 3 pieces of clove and sauté till they turn golden brown
Remove from flame and set aside
Heat a wok and add 1 tbsp Bengal gram, 1 tbsp split black lentils, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds and 1 tsp cumin seeds
Roast on low flame till the spices turn aromatic
Add the 3 red chilis and sauté for a few seconds more
Cool and transfer to a blender
Blend to a coarse powder (do not add water)
At this stage, add the roasted ginger and garlic
Blend to a thick paste
Now add the tamarind juice
Also add the date paste and salt
Blend to a smooth paste
Add half cup of water and mix well if the consistency needs to be adjusted
Heat a small wok and all the ingredients for the tempering
When the mustard seeds finish spluttering, pour over the blended ginger paste
Serve at room temperature with dosai, idli or red/brown/millet rice/dal
Enjoy!