Kobbari Pacchadi – The All-Time Favorite Chutney!

Yesterday, when I was back from my office and ready to lay the dinner table, my daughter asked me what was there for dinner. I told her about the routine dishes which I had made: brinjal onion fry, ivy gourd (little gourd) fry, rasam, rice and dahi (curd) She paused for some time as if in deep thought. I realized she wanted to eat something tasty and yummy. And suggested that I could make kobbarikai chutney (coconut chutney) for her. Her eyes sparkled and she agreed to this, only on one condition: that I should make it like her Ammamma (maternal grandmother) Now this was a real challenge for me. As, my mother makes the best coconut chutney ! In fact, at many competitions, she had won the first prize for her signature dish – coconut chutney! It happens to be one of the famous versions of the various coconut chutneys of Andhra Pradesh. Nevertheless, as I like challenges, I took it up and went about to make our all-time favorite coconut chutney, hoping that I would win the challenge (be positive)….Once it was ready, I served it to my daughter. And, I waited with abated breadth to hear her reaction. She said: Yes, it is exactly like that made by Ammamma! Yes, this was the magic sentence, I wanted to hear. I felt elated and exclaimed, yes, I did it. This was a test of my cooking skills rather cooking expertise. After all these years, I can say that my coconut chutney is somewhere close to the one which my mother makes. I cannot say it is of the same taste, but yes, it is closer… Or rather the distinction is lesser, now. Indeed, this coconut chutney is very easy to prepare and is a versatile chutney. As it can be had with idlis, all types of dosas, chapatis, rotis, upma, uppidi pindi , dibba rotti and rice. Rice mixed with this tangy chutney tastes heavenly! So here is my mother’s recipe which I would like to share with all of you. All my family members love this yummy chutney, including my: parents, siblings, husband and daughter.