Manathakkali Keerai Chutney | Night Shade Green Leaves Dip

How many of you are lucky as me?  I got this manathakkali keerai named as Hierba Mora (Spanish) in ASSI Plaza, Duluth. Very much excited and stumbled for a minute. I confirmed it by tasting the green fruit. Two years back I had this when I was in hometown. During the last days of that vacation, I asked my mom to prepare daily and we packed freshly picked leaves from our garden to our 3 days stay in Chennai. Even I tried to bring here, how mad am I 🙂 I proudly showed the leaves to my Mom in Skype. My MIL often says that she makes this chutney for my niece, but I have not tasted. I grasped this recipe from her who is the right person to help me out today 🙂

Ingredients
Manathakkali Keerai – 1/2 Bunch (2 Cups tightly pressed)
Chana Dhal – 2 Tbsp
Urad Dhal – 2 Tbsp
Shallot – 5 Numbers OR Onion – 1/2 Number
Green Chili – 1-2 Numbers

Tamarind – Small Gooseberry Size
Oil – 1 Tbsp
Shredded Coconut – 1/4 Cup
Salt & Water  – As Required

Method

• Clean and chop the keerai roughly.
• Heat Oil add dhals fry till golden brown.
• Add Chili, Onion, Tamarind and Salt, saute till raw smell goes off.
• Add the chopped green leaves saute till it shrinks and all water gets evaporated.
• Finally add Coconut and remove from heat.

• Allow to cool and grind to fine paste.

Note:
Today lack of shallot tends me to add big onion,  but this chutney tastes great with shallot.