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.

Ingredients:
1 cup desiccated coconut flakes + hot water
1 onion
A pinch of fennel seeds
1 tbs thick tamarind paste (1 1/2 tbs for more tanginess)
2 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 spring curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method:
First soften up the desiccated coconut flakes. Add the coconut flakes in a bowl and pour enough hot water over so that it is well-covered and allow to soak for 20 minutes or so. Then pour the softened coconut (and the water) and chili powder in a grinder and grind until fairly coarse. Cut the onion finely. In a cooking pot, heat some oil, add the fennel seeds and allow to splutter. Then add and saute the onion and the curry leaves. Pour the ground coconut gravy into the cooking pot and saute for a minute or so. Add about 2 cups of water or enough water to cook. Then add the salt and thick tamarind paste that has been prepared separately. Cook the chutney until the coconut is soft and taste and adjust the spices, if needed, before taking it away from the stove. Serve with warm with dosai/dosa and/or idli.