Curry Leaves and Poppy Seed Chutney

Fresh curry leaves coax you to use them all up before they start to dry, but there is only so much you can add to tempering. How do you make the most of a fat bunch of fresh curry leaves? If you ask me, I’d say make chutney.

Curry leaves and peanut chutney is the recipe I usually turn to, but I tried out an unusual combination this time – a recipe that adds a touch of sweetness to offset the bitterness of curry leaves. With extra notes of nuttiness from poppy seeds and tartness from tamarind, this curry leaves and poppy seed chutney is a one to add to your cherished family recipe handbook.

You Need:

• Curry leaves – 2 packed cups of plucked leaves
• White poppy seeds – 1 heaped tablespoon
• Tamarind – a coin-sized ball
• Jaggery powder – 1 tablespoon
• Dry red chilies – 3
• Salt – to taste
• Sesame oil – 1 teaspoon

How To Make Curry Leaves and Poppy Seed Chutney:

Soak poppy seeds in a tablespoon of water for an hour. so that it can be ground easily. Soak tamarind in a tablespoon of hot water for 15 mins.Wash and dry curry leaves.

Take the soaked poppy seeds in a grinder and pulse till it forms a paste. Add curry leaves, tamarind, dry red chilies and pulse again till the dry red chilies have converted to flakes. The paste should remain slightly coarse.

In a skillet or kadhai, heat a teaspoon of oil. Add the ground poppy seed and curry leaves paste and cook on high heat to a boil, then on low heat for 5 minutes. The rawness of tamarind paste should have gone by now.

Add salt, jaggery, a tablespoon or more of water (depending on the thickness you want) and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

Allow to cool to room temperature. Serve curry leaves and poppy seed chutney on a bed of hot steaming rice with ghee.