Til Ki Chutney

Before you start

• Soak the tamarind in hot water for 10 minutes while you toast the sesame.
• Toast the sesame in a dry pan and keep it moving. It goes from pale to burnt in about fifteen seconds and burnt sesame is unusable.
• Cool everything to room temperature before grinding, or the chutney sweats and sours within a day.

Method

1. Dry-toast the sesame over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, 3-4 minutes, until the seeds turn one shade darker and start popping.Tip them onto a cold plate the moment they pop, or the residual pan heat keeps toasting them.
2. In the same pan, toast the grated dried coconut 1 minute, until fragrant and just golden. Set aside.
3. Add 1 tsp of the oil and fry the dried red chillies, garlic and cumin over medium heat 1 minute, until the chillies darken slightly.
4. Cool all the toasted ingredients completely, about 10 minutes.
5. Grind the sesame alone first to a coarse powder, then add the coconut, chillies, garlic, cumin, soaked tamarind with its water and salt.
6. Grind to a thick paste, adding the water 1 tbsp at a time. Stop while it still has a little grain. This is a chutney, not a puree.Too much water at once makes it loose and it will not tighten again. Add it slowly.
7. Heat the remaining oil, pop the mustard seeds and crisp the curry leaves, 20 seconds, and pour over the chutney.
8. Fold in the coriander leaves and serve with rice and ghee, or as a side to biryani.

Storage

Keeps 1 week refrigerated in a clean airtight jar, or 3 days at room temperature in cool weather. Always use a dry spoon; the oil separates and can be stirred back in.