Tomato Onion Chutney

Serves: 4

Fresh Tomatoes - 3 medium, coarsely chopped
Onion - 2 medium, coarsely chopped
Red chillies - 5, broken into half
Tamarind - size of a small lemon
Pepper - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 3/4 tbsp
Ginger paste - 3/4 tbsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Channa daal - 2 tbsp
Coriander - for garnishing

1. In a thick bottomed saucepan, heat about 2 1/2 tbsp of oil until it is hot but not smoking. Add the onions and cook them until the onions turn slightly brownish. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Then add the tomatoes to the same pan and fry until they are soft and set aside
3. In a smaller pan, fry thr ginger, garlic, tamarind, jeera, pepper and red chillies for about 2 min.
4. In the blender or food processor, first powder the items from the smaller pan. After they are coarsely powdered, add the tomatoes, onion, coriander and salt to taste and grind all the ingredients to a fine paste. Remove the chutney to a serving bowl.
5. For the seasoning, heat the remaining oil and add the mustard seeds and wait for them to crackle. Once the mustard seeds crackle, add the channa dal and stir-fry until they turn evenly brown. Pour the seasoning on the chuntney. Garnish with coriander.