Toor Dal Chutney

For those of you totally bored with the good old coriander chutney, here is a refreshing new way to look at the traditional Indian dip. You fry up some lentils until they are smokey, grind them with some spices and voila - You are all set to gorge it down.

Ingredients
1/2 Cup Toor Dal
2 tbsp Coconut (I've used frozen slices)
3 cloves of Garlic
2 Red Chillies (adjust according to your desired heat quotient!)
1/4 Cup Onions - Cubed/Sliced
2 tsp Tamarind Pulp
A sprig of Coriander
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Place a wok on your burner under a low-medium flame.
- Once it warm, toss in the toor dal and fry until fragrant
- Now add garlic and fry
- Add the coconut, red chillies and onions and fry until they all give out a warm smokey aroma (You can increase a flame a tad bit, but keep an eye so that you don't end up burning it since each ingredient roasts at a different temperature)
- Once roasted, set aside to cool
- Toss the roasted ingredients in a mixer/blender and add the tamarind pulp, coriander and salt
- Use minimum water and grind into a fine paste.
- Serve with freshly prepared idlies.

SERVES 2