GREEN CHUTNEY CHOPS

There's a number of handicrafts my 'Iddikaan' Grandmother thaught me growing up with her. Namely, weaving "chutta moll"- Woven coconut leaf, weaving "Irra Sanni"-Broom of Coconut leaf twigs, weaving "Ranponn"-fishing net, and even  growing Onions in my front yard! "It's food!! " she'd grumble.."you won't eat the roses your mother grows here, will you???" ...  It's a pity, she refused to teach me making "Iddi"-leaf rolled cigarette. Something my village knew her well by. She never smoked but made them to sell..

Today I've made one of her dishes and my beloved. At times when eating rice daily gets to me. I just make these. Hefty 2 of these fills you up pretty well.

INGREDIENTS:

500gms Potatoes
3 Eggs boild & peeled
Breads crumbs OR fine Semolina (Rawa) for coating
Oil for frying

Green CHUTNEY Ingredients:
1 cup Freshly grated Coconut
1 cup Fresh Green Coriander leaves
1/4 tsp Cummin seeds
1/2 tsp Tamarind paste
2 Green Chillies
1 Flake Garlic
1/2tbs Sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp Salt
Grind to paste

METHOD:
Wash and boil the Potatoes in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles. Pierce with a knife to check for easy cut into a potato. Strain all water out. Start peeling while they are hot. Reason being, they peel much easily and secondly, potatoes tend to get slimy upon mashing if kept resting. Can't use a slimy mash to make these chops.

TIP: Poke a fork into a hot potato to lift & use a pocket knife to pull peels off instead of struggling to hold a hot potato with bare hands. 

Add a bit of salt for seasoning while mashing the potatoes with the back of a fork or a masher if you already have one. You will easily get 6-8 portions of mash. Set aside.
Now slice the hard boil eggs about 1cm thick.

Lightly oil your palms before shaping a portion of potato mash into a cup.  Lay a tablespoon of green chutney at the bottom topped with a slice of egg and another spoonfull of green chutney. Now gather the Potato edges to close the pattie/chop. Roll it in semolina and keep all others ready for frying likewise. In a shallow pan on low fire, pour 2tbs of oil until hot enough. Place the potato chops to fry until golden brown on each side. They are ready to eat. OR even pack in your kids lunch box.

I can still recall how much I hated Shamai poking her finger onto each of our chops counting them. She just needed assurance that none of us were deprived by size OR count of Chops. Well, she's raised 8 kids between ploughing fields and making 'Iddi'. I can imagine. One tough thing that woman was though. That still can't justify WHY she poked my beautiful potato chops.
RIP "Shamai". I do miss you 😊.


Fancy another classic dish?.. Try

ARROZ MAAS