Tamarind sauce

Tamarind Sauce is used in many chaat items and is an inevitable ingredient for bhelpuri.  Can also be used as an accompaniment for ragada patties, samosas and kachoris.

You will need...

Tamarind - 1 lemon sized ball

Dates - 1 handfull

Jeera - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Jaggery - to taste

Salt - to taste

Black salt(kala namak) - a pinch(optional, if you don't have no worries)

Soak tamarind in water, squeeze well and drain to get the juice.  Soak dates and grind into a smooth paste. Dry roast jeera and grind coarsly. In a pan add all the ingredients except jaggery and boil until reduces to half the quantity and thick in consistancy(like tomatto ketchup).  Add jaggery to taste.  Can store in refrigerator for few months.

Green Sauce

Green sauce is made of green leaves and green chillies and is used in many chaat items like bhel puri, pani puri etc.

You will need...

Coriander leaves - 1/4 bunch

Mint leaves - 1/4 bunch

Green chillies - 2-3

Lemon juice - 1/2 limes'

Salt - to taste

Grind all the ingredients well with little water into a smooth paste(a bit runny paste). Can store in refrigerator or few days.

Coconut Milk

Most of the authentic Kerala preparations have this as an ingredient. For that you need...

Coconut - 1/2 grated
Warm water - 3 tea cups

In a blender add the grated coconut and 1 cup warm water and grind. Pour it into a strainer, squeeze and keep the milk aside. Repeat the steps two times. The second and third extracts will be of thin consistency.
The thick milk(thalappal) is kept seperate and the second and third milks(edappal) are mixed together.