Ginger Salem Guntu Chutney or Inji Gundu Kanja Milagai Thuvaiyal

Chutney is an integral part of every South Indian household. This is the recipe of ginger salem guntu chutney. Ginger has both medicinal and culinary uses belonging to Zingiberaceae family. Ginger has high anti inflammatory property, helps in digestion, reduces nausea and cold. It adds flavor to any dish like ginger tea, candied ginger, pickled ginger, ginger chutney. There are many ways of preparing ginger chutney. This is one way of preparing which I learn’t from a villager native to Yercaud, India. Salem guntu or gundu kanja milagai is one of the spicy and flavorful chili found in South India. This chutney is a good accompaniment for dosa, idli, hot rice.  Here goes the recipe.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Tamil Nadu

Preparation time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Fresh ginger (chopped) – 1 tbsp

Coconut (grated) – ¼ cup

Salem guntu or gundu kanja milagai – ½ inch piece

Jaggery (grated) – 1 tsp

Tamarind paste – 1 tsp

Salt as per taste

For seasoning:

Coconut oil – 2 tsp

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Curry leaves – 2-4 nos

Red chili – 1 small

Method:

1. Take a blender add ginger, coconut gratings, salem guntu piece, jaggery, tamarind paste. Grind into fine paste. Add required quantity of water.
2. Now add salt and mix well.
3. For seasoning:
4. Take a small pan, heat coconut oil, add mustard seeds, sauté well. Add curry leaves and red chili and sauté well.
5. Pour this on chutney and mix. Serve with hot dosa, idli, paddu.

My Notes:

The spiciness of chutney can be adjusted by varying the amount of salem guntu. Ginger also imparts small amount of spiciness to chutney.

Amount of jaggery is highly variable and can even be skipped. I have used it since wanted a balance between spiciness, sweetness.