Condiments are the little blobs of flavour, found in the traditional Indian thali. With every bite from your thali, you can choose from an array of flavours, be it sweet, spicy or even tangy. They enhance flavour and complement the overall dish that it is served with. Condiments can be in the form of chutneys, chutney podi, pickles, pickled vegetables or even raita.
Our Indian cuisine is so heavily connected with the usage of condiments, which not only lend great flavour to our food, but also have great medicinal values. These spices used to make these condiments make it an essential part of our Indian food experience.
With different flavour profiles and varied textures and colours, these condiments are hard to judge just by the way they look. Needless to day each of them are bursting with flavours within.
1. Chutneys
Chutney is a combination of ingredients like herbs and nuts, put together in a mixer and blitzed until its of a smooth – it is of a thick liquid like consistency.
Chutneys are often made fresh of green leafy vegetables, vegetables, or even fruits at times.
- The classic Green Chutney is made with fresh coriander and mint leaves, it gets its heat from the green chillies added to it. This chutney is used along with paratha, Samosas, chaat, or even along with pakoras or bhajjias.
- The Date Tamarind chutney is yet another sweet tangy chutney that is mostly served alongside the green chutney with kachoris, dahi vada , and chaat of course. Well, needless to say that no chaat is complete without either of these chutneys.
- Lahsun ki chutney is one such spicy pungent chutney that goes best with Vada Pavs, Cheelas or just a plain plain paratha tastes great when eaten with this chutney.
- Pudina Dahi Chutney is more of a dip where the green chutney is combined with thick yogurt. This is mostly served as a dip along with Indian appetisers such as Achari Paneer Tikka Recipe or Chicken Tikka Recipe or even Kalmi Kabab Recipe.
- The chunky Sweet & Spicy Tomato Chutney goes well with Cheelas and parathas again like - Masala Lachha Paratha Recipe or Whole Wheat Spinach Paratha Recipe
- The Andhra Gongura Pachadi is a spicy tangy chutney made with gongura leaves, best served with some piping hot steamed rice and a dollop of melted ghee. Slurp!
- Puli Inji Chutney is made using ginger and tamarind, that combination of tangy tamarind and the earthy flavours of the ginger root, leaves you with a burst of flavour in your mouth. this chutney goes along with steamed rice, or even idli or dosa.
- Chutney podis are dry versions of chutneys in the form of a coarse powder, eaten usually in the south of India. While the Milagai Podi goes very will with idlis and dosas, the paruppu podi is relished with steamed rice and ghee.
2. Pickles & Pickled Vegetables
- Pickles are packed with oils and spices which are both powdered and whole at times. They are made from fruits or vegetables as the star ingredients popularly called as Achaar or Ooruga or pickle as we call it. It literally goes with absolutely anything, from being part of a South Indian meal or a North Indian meal, to parathas, Chole bhature or just with a cold bowl of soothing Dahi chawal or curd rice. So versatile, Achaars are made of raw mangoes, lemons, chillies, garlic, carrots, you name it and achaar can be made out of it.
- Pickled vegetables or kachumbers are condiments as well, that add a bite to your meal. the classic kachumber is that of onions, drenched in salt and lemon juice. The kachumber salad is a medley of roughly chopped onions, cucumbers, and carrots that make a great side dish to any Indian meal.
- Then there is another classic pickle from the south of India which is the Mor Milagai, which is an important condiment that is served in a South Indian Meal. Mor Milagai is a delicious crisp chilli which is marinated in yogurt and sun-dried. Later these sun dried chillies are fried in oil and then served along with a bowl of curd rice.
3. Raitas
Raitas are flavourful condiments to the meal, but not robust like chutneys and pickles. they are soothing, cooling pairings to our meals. Smooth rich yogurt, whisked along with some roasted cumin powder, chaat masala and salt, sometimes made with crispy boondi or crunchy onions, or even a medley of vegetables.
So wait no more, and whip up these condiments in your kitchen and serve it with along your next meal at home to your family and friends.
