Good food often comes down to the little extras that bring a dish to life. One such kitchen staple is chutney, which can instantly elevate even the simplest meal. Ashwini Kalsekar recently shared her kothimbir-kanda chutney recipe, which is easy to prepare and can be enjoyed throughout the year. Made with readily available ingredients, the recipe offers a quick way to add a burst of flavor to everyday dishes. The actress starts by preparing the ingredients, which include oil, dried red chillies, asafoetida, finely chopped onions, mustard seeds, turmeric powder, fenugreek seeds, tamarind soaked in water, urad dal and coriander. She begins the cooking process by heating oil in a pan until it shimmers. Mustard seeds go in first, crackling as they pop, followed by a pinch of hing, dried red chillies and urad dal.
Once the dal turns golden and aromatic, Ashwini adds fenugreek seeds, tamarind and turmeric powder, allowing the spices to bloom and deepen in colour. Instead of stirring, she gently spreads a layer of sliced onions over the tadka and switches off the flame. The onions are left to steam in the residual heat, softening slowly while absorbing the flavors below. The key is not to mix the onions with the spices at this stage.
After a few minutes, the actress carefully lifts off the softened onion layer and sets it aside. The remaining spiced base goes into a grinder. She adds a generous amount of fresh coriander and grinds it into a coarse paste without adding any water.
Next, Ashwini returns the cooked onions to the mixture and gives it just one quick pulse, enough to combine everything while retaining some texture. She finishes by seasoning it with salt and a small piece of jaggery to balance the heat and tang. When the chutney is ready, Ashwini’s husband, actor Murali Sharma, enters the frame and tastes it. With a smile on his face, he gives an A-OK sign and declares it “very tasty.”
Would you like to make Ashwini Kalsekar’s kothimbir-kanda chutney at home? Let us know in the comments below.
