Chutney Pudi also referred to as the Gun Power is a side dish that can make a perfect side dish with many dishes like Dosa, Idli, Rice, Chapati, Akki Rotti, and so on. It is also used for making snacks like Chutney Pudi Avalakki, Masale Mandakki, etc. Chapati rolled with Chutney Pudi and ghee or butter is awesome for lunch box. Chutney Pudi is always in store in South Indian houses, though it is slightly different in each region. Though there are many chutney Pudi recipes on the web, the one I am giving here is Brahmin style, the one I have inherited from my grandmother.
Though available in stores, the quality of this spicy side dish made at home is incomparable. Trust me it is not difficult at all and you can make it in large quantities to last for one full month or even more.
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Chutney Pudi or Chana Dal Chutney Powder is different from Karappodi from Andhra Pradesh or Molagai Pudi from Tamil Nadu. It is different from these two in taste and ingredients too.
Come let us start making this most opted, omnipresent Chutney Pudi. First I will teach you a basic variety of this dish and then explain how you can vary the taste, with some simple change in ingredients
Ingredients you need to make Chutney Pudi:
- Gram Dal – 2 Cups
- Urad Dal – 1 cup
- Dry coconut – 1 Full
- Red Chili – 2 cups
- Coriander leaves – 1 cup
- Curry leaves – 2-3 strings
- Asafoetida – 1 small spoon
- Oil – 4 spoons
- Salt to taste
- Jaggery – 3 spoons
- Tamarind paste or powder – as per taste
Preparation of Chutney Pudi
Chutney Pudi Recipe
Fry Gram dal on low flame till it turns reddish. You have to use low flame and a thick-bottomed Kadai to fry it to perfection. This will ensure it gets roasted evenly without getting burnt and emits a nice aroma.
Fry Urad dal also as above. Fry till white colored urad dal turns reddish.
The two grams need to be fried separately as they vary in nice due to which they will not get fried evenly.
Dry Grind this to a coarse powder and keep it aside.
Fry grated dry coconut for 2-3 minutes.
Fry Chili for 4-5 minutes with 1 spoon oil. Make sure to fry in low heat so that it will not get burnt out.
Add chili and dry coconut to the coarsely grounded powder and make an even powder.
In a Kadai take 3 spoons of oil, add coriander leaves finely chopped. Fry for 5 minutes on low flame. Now add curry leaves and fry till all the leaves become crisp and water content is completely removed. Switch off the stove and then add asafoetida.
When it is completely cooled, add the power, add salt, jaggery and tamarind power/paste and mix well first.
Now is the time to taste it because you can adjust the taste now as per your requirement. Add whatever is less like salt, jaggery or tamarind paste or even chili powder. Once the taste is set, put this in mixer and grind well.
Chutney pudi is ready to store and use as and when required. If you plan to store it for long put a portion of it in refrigerator.
This is the original form of Chutney Pudi recipe that has passed on for generations in the family.
Now let us see how we can change a few things and get an all new form and taste.
Pudina Chutney Pudi Recipe – Goodness of Pudina in spicy powder
The procedure remains the same except that there is a small change in Chutney Pudi Recipe. This variety is enriched with the goodness and flavor of Pudina. Separate leaves of fresh pudina, about 2 cups. Wash it well and pat dry to remove the water. Cut the leaves into small pieces. Fry this in 1 spoon of oil to ensure that water is completely removed and leaves become crisp. Add this to the chutney powder and grind it to a fine powder.
Curry Leaves Chutney powder – Rich in Fibre and Iron
Take two cups of fresh curry leaves, wash it well and pat dry first. Allow some time for the water to evaporate completely. Fry the leaves in a spoon of oil till the leaves become crispy and water is completely eliminated.
Add this to the Chutney Pudi and fine grind it. You have a flavorsome, healthy Curry patta Chutney Pudi.
Green Chilli Chutney Pudi Recipe
This is specially for those people who do not like red chilies for some reason. Some people have a taste for green chilies and love them, some have allergies for red chilies. For all such people, this is the right pick.
Make the gram powder as above, include all ingredients and procedures, just replace red chilies with green chilies.
Put the green chilies in mixer and make them into small pieces. Fry them in 2 spoons of oil. While frying use low flame, use thick bottomed Kadai. Fry it till the moisture content of the green chilies is completely removed and chilies turn whitish.
Mix this with other ingredients and fine grind to get a uniform mix.
The color of this is greenish as against the reddish of normal Chutney Pudi, but it should not matter as the taste will be good and this Chutney Pudi Recipe is also easy.
Instant Chutney Pudi Recipe
Making Chana Dal Chutney Pudi takes some time and needs preparation. This instant chutney Pudi is a match to the original and serves in emergency cases. The taste is good for a change, though the original can not be beaten. Here is the instant Chutney Pudi recipe in the simplest steps.
Ingredients for Instant Chutney Pudi
- Fried Gram – 1 Cup
- Red Chilies – ½ Cup
- Grated dry Coconut – 1 ½ cup
- Tamarind Paste or Powder
- Curry Leaves
- Salt to taste
- Oil – 2 Spoons
- Jaggery – 1 spoon
- Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Instant Chutney Pudi Recipe
- Dry grind fried gram.
- Fry Chilies in ½ spoon oil on low flame.
- Fry grated dry coconut till it becomes crisp. This should be done on low flame for 3-4 minutes.
- Fry curry leaves in oil, till it becomes crisp, add asafoetida to this.
- Allow all the fried items to cool.
Now grind all the ingredients including salt, jaggery powder and tamarind to a coarse powder. Instant Chutney pudi is ready to relish.
Instead of Fried grams, you can use Peanuts to get a totally different taste. Peanut should be fried well till it emits a nice aroma, cooled and then powdered. The procedure mentioned above should be followed to make Peanut chutney-dry.
How to use Chutney Pudi
- Chutney Pudi can be used to spice up masala dosa also. Just sprinkle little of this gun powder before stuffing with Alu sabzi, it gives a yummy twist to the usual masala dosa.
- Perfect side dish to carry while traveling.
- Use it to make Chapati Role.
- Best side dish with Methi dosa.
- Mixed with hot rice and a spoon of ghee or groundnut oil is too good to begin the meal.
- Goes very well as a side dish with Upma
This is a very handy recipe that can perform many roles and is very helpful especially for working people. Instead of buying it from stores, better to make it at home with the help of this easy Chutney Pudi recipe, which will be economical, healthy, and pure. Also, you can customize the taste as per your needs!
