Katti Chammandi For Rice

I remember when I was a child, whenever we went out for a long train journey, Mom used to pack rice with this simple spicy coconut mix known as Katti Chammandi that has the magic to make the food pack exciting. Though it is very simple to make, we often forget to include it in the food packets these days. For me, its taste gives me nostalgia of yester years. Even now I make it sure that Katti Chammandi in my home whenever I feel like going back to my childhood memories.

 Katti Chammandi or Thick coconut chammandi is usually found accompanying with Food packets that have rice, or with rice porridge that most of the people of Kerala prefer to have at supper. Katti Chammandi does not need any cooking. You simply need to grind the ingredients with the perfect amount of salt and tamarind and eat it with rice.

Whenever we buy a rice packet from any hotel in Kerala (South India), we get a ball of katti chammandi right inside the packet with other side dishes that usually go with a rice packet. I don’t think the children these days are aware of this food packet, as most of them prefer quick and easy varieties of food.

PS: Katti Chammandi made with tamarind can be consumed with rice, while that without tamarind can be accompanied with Idly or Dosa. So you can make it a part of your breakfast too. Sure tastes good with Dosa and Idly.

Ingredients

·        Coconut gratings – ½ cup

·        Shallots or Onions- If you prefer shallots, take 5 nos. If you prefer onion, take ¼ of an onion

·        Red chilly powder – ½ tsp

·        Tamarind – a pinch

·        Curry Leaves – a few

·        Salt – a bit

·        (Ginger (Optional)- A small piece, if you prefer a different gingery taste in your chammandi. You can avoid it too)

Method

·        In a mixer jar, add Coconut gratings, chilly powder, shallots/onions, tamarind, salt and curry leaves

·        Grind all the ingredients for a minute

·        Switch off the mixer

·        Make small balls out of the coconut mix

·        Serve with rice or porridge

·        If you prefer to serve katti chammandi with dosa or idly, make sure you do not add tamarind. Chammandi and Sambar with Dosa and Idly tastes perfect

Do take care to add only a little bit of tamarind to the chammandi. Too much of tamarind or salt can make katti chammandi taste bad. The right amount of ingredients alone makes it perfect. Too much of onions too can spoil the chammandi. So all it is about is to add the ingredients in the right proportion. Since this is a no cook variety, you can make it within a few minutes. 

If you have grated coconut in your refrigerator then you will be able to make it quickly or else it will take at least 15 minutes to make a chammandi. The tip is to grate coconuts beforehand and store in the refrigerator. You can make use of them whenever you want to, and you simply need not worry about grating it right at that moment.