Make this spicy, tangy and sweet Puli Inji which is popularly prepared for Onam Sadhya in Kerala. Serve it with dosa, curd rice or sambar rice. Here is how to make it.
Try a few more Kerala recipes here – Kerala Prawn Curry, Kerala Style Mango Pickle, Kerala Egg Curry, Kerala Style Fish Molee, Kerala Fish Curry, Kerala Style Chicken Stew, Kerala Style Pineapple Pachadi, Kerala Rasam and Kerala Style Mutton Curry.
About This Recipe
Puli means ‘tamarind’ and Inji means ‘jaggery’, so basically it’s a lip smacking chutney prepared with these two as its main ingredients. It has a perfect blend of sweet, spicy and tangy flavours and is an integral part of Onam Sadya in Kerala.
Serve it with idli, dosa, curd rice or a simple meal of sambar rice or rasam rice. You can double or triple the recipe, as it will easily last for a few weeks and can be served on the side to perk up your regular meals.
Ingredients
Puli Inji uses a few simple ingredients such as ginger, tamarind, jaggery, fenugreek seeds, oil, mustard seeds, dry red chillies, hing, curry leaves, turmeric powder and salt.
Use fresh ginger and avoid the ones that has bruises or black marks.
Use the darkest of tamarind and jaggery, as it lends a beautiful dark colour to the chutney.
You can also use fresh green chillies instead of dry red chillies to spice up the chutney.
Avoid adding hing/asafoetida for a gluten free version.
If you like it to be extra tangy, you can increase the amount of tamarind or if you like it to be extra spicy, increase the amount of dry red chillies.
Storage Suggestions
This Kerala ginger chutney will easily last for 1-2 months when stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Store it in a clean and dry container and use a clean and dry spoon every time to use the chutney, as it will ensure that the chutney lasts longer.
Serving Suggestions
It is popularly prepared for Onam Sadya and is said that this festive meal is incomplete without Puli Inji.
Puli Inji can be served on the side with Idli, Dosa, Uttapam, Appe or Upma for a delicious South Indian breakfast. It also tastes great with a simple meal of curd rice, sambar rice or rasam rice. You can even try it with tawa paratha.
Recipe Card
Kerala Style Ginger Chutney| Puli Inji
Ingredients
- 250 gms Ginger (peeled and finely grated)
- 50 gms Tamarind (soaked in 1 cup water)
- 2 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds (Dry roasted and grind to make a powder)
- 2 tablespoon Coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 3 Dry red chilies
- ¼ teaspoon Heeng
- 12 Curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ½ cup Jaggery
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in a pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, dry red chilies, heeng and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
- Add grated ginger and fry till slightly browned.
- Keep stirring all the time.
- Squeeze the tamarind and add the water in the pan.
- Add turmeric powder, jaggery and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add fenugreek powder and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Store Puli Inji in a clean glass container in refrigerator for a few weeks.
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