Goat Cheese & Cilantro Spread (Kothamali Chutney)(East meets West)

This is a true fusion recipe which brings together the best of the west and the east - Cheese (all kinds) has pervaded the Indian cuisine for a long time now - With this recipe, I bring to you a traditional south Indian chutney made with cilantro and red chilies and other flavors (see recipe below). With adequate spicing, this chutney can easily be blended into a creamy goat cheese to make a fine spread for veggies or crusty warm bread.

Another post for Avant Garde Cookies, this is a spread which can be whipped up at short notice

Cilantro Chutney

Ingredients

4 bunches of fresh cilantro, pre-washed and stems removed

2 green chilies

2 red chilies

1 tbsp urad dal

A pinch of asafetida

¼ tsp of tamarind paste (optional)

2- 3 tsp of sesame oil

2 tbsp of water

Method
Sautee the urad, chilies, asafetida in the oil.
Add the cilantro leaves and cook for a few minutes until the water has evaporated.
Add the tamarind paste and mix it in well to the leaves.
Cool and grind, using very little water

For the Spread
1 Ounce of goat cheese
2tbsp of chutney

Method
Whisk the cheese into the chutney and keep refrigerated until use. Enjoy with raw veggies or over toasted bread or pita or as a spread for a sandwich

Cilantro Pilaf (HarDaniya Pulao/Kothamali Pulao)

Happy Happy NAVARATHRI to all my friends and followers. Wish you much prosperity in health, happiness and of course wealth. So Golu is up and the first of the Sundals I made was a green split moong dal (pacha paasiparuppu sundal) and it was a happy success with all. I will blog this soon. But today I present to you my cilantro pulao which I made several weeks ago and has been languishing in my notes waiting for its turn to be blogged. I had to make some Kothamali chutney the wet thick kind and steamed some veggies and sauteed them like a curry. I added paneer to make it more "fancy" then made some steaming hot basmati rice and mixed in the chutney and the veggies and sauteed once more with onions and cashews. This is a one-pot meal and is a perfect Sunday brunch idea. You can avoid the onions and still have it taste amazing during this festival time.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of basmati rice (rice cooker cooked)
• your choice of veggies
• 1 cup of cubed paneer
• 3tbsp cilantro chutney

Method

1. Add chutney to rice and mix in well with a fork
2. Cook the veggies with desired spice and salt in a separate wok
3. Add to the rice and chutney mix
4. Garnish with cashews or more fresh cilantro

Cilantro Chutney recipe
Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs of cilantro fresh washed thoroughly, ends of stalks trimmed
• 5-8 red chilies (depending on how spicy your red chilies are)
• Urad Dal 1/4 cup
• 1tsp asafetida
• 1tsp soft tamarind paste
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• Salt

Method 

1. Heat oil add the urad dal, chilies, asafetida and tamarind paste
2. Then add the cilantro and stir until cilantro softens and the urad is roasted brown.
3. Cool and grind coarse in a food processor

Mix the rice with the chutney

The veggies with paneer

In a bowl

In a cool copper pot

on your plate