Coconut chutney - Thaalicha sambal

This is a simple recipe on coconut chutney or thaalicha sambal as we call it. Coconut chutney is a staple in many households but there are some variations in how people prepare it. It is often served as a side-dish to dosai and/or idli. When I prepare this, I always add some more tamarind paste than my mother does, because I love the tanginess from the tamarind. This chutney is typically prepared with freshly grated coconut kernel but since there is a scarcity of coconuts here, we generally prepare this with desiccated coconut. There is not much difference in the preparation between these two, except that the desiccated coconut has to be soaked in hot water for a while to soften up. I am reposting this recipe because I had posted it without any pictures earlier.

Mango chutney (mangai pachadi)

I have been wanting to make mango chutney for a long time but it has been very difficult to find raw, sour mangoes in the stores. I found some sour mangoes at the Chinese store, and although expensive, they looked decent enough to serve the purpose. I wanted something tangy to tickle my tastebuds. This actually tastes like a sweet-sour tamarind sauce. Typically, neem flowers are also added, to lend some bitterness, but I have excluded it.

Chutney:
2 raw mangoes
1 cup brown sugar (or jaggery)
1 cup water
1 green chili
Salt to taste

Tempering:
Mustard seeds

Peel the mangoes and cut it in small pieces. In a pan, add water and bring it to a boil. Add the mango slices, slit green chili, and salt. Cook at medium heat. Add the brown sugar after 15 minutes and cook until it looks and gravy-like. In a separate pan, heat some oil, add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Top the mango chutney with the tempered mustard seeds and serve.