Red bell pepper chutney

I made this vibrant lovely dark red chutney along with adai dosa  last weekend .Chutney with red bell pepper is quite tasty. Red bell pepper is chopped and cooked in the oil along with red chiles and garlic. Then all the ingredients are ground into smooth paste for the chutney. Finally the red bell pepper chutney is tempered with spices. It goes quite well with dosa.
 
Health Benefits of red bell Peppers

All peppers are rich in vitamins A, C, and K, but red peppers are simply bursting with them. Antioxidant vitamins A and C help to prevent cell damage, cancer, and diseases related to aging, and they support immune function. They also reduce inflammation like that found in arthritis and asthma. Vitamin K promotes proper blood clotting, strengthens bones, and helps protect cells from oxidative damage.



Red peppers are a good source of the carotenoid called lycopene, which is earning a reputation for helping to prevent prostate cancer as well as cancer of the bladder, cervix, and pancreas. Beta-cryptoxanthin, another carotenoid in red peppers, is holding promise for helping to prevent lung cancer related to smoking and secondhand smoke.
Besides being rich in phytochemicals, peppers provide a decent amount of fiber.

Ingredients:
Red Bell Pepper 1
Tomato - half chopped
 Garlic 3 Cloves
 Tamarind 1 inch Sized Ball
 Whole Red Chiles 2 – 4
 Oil 1 tsp
 Salt to taste
Urad Dal 1/4 tsp
Dahalya ( one we use in chivda) - 1/2 tsp
 Tadka - tempering
Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp
 Asafoetida a pinch
 Curry Leaves 4
 Oil 1 tsp
 




Method :

1.Wash, remove ends, discard seeds and chop bell pepper into small chunks.

2. Soak tamarind in few tbsps of water and extract all the juice.

3.Heat oil in a pan, add  urad dal and  fry till it becomes light brown .next add red chiles and garlic.

4 Then stir in red bell pepper,tomato  tamarind juice and salt.Cook covered for few minutes till bell pepper turns little brown.be careful  not to overcook& burn  the bell pepper.

 

 5.Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.Grind the cooled ingredients into fine paste using a blender.

6.Heat oil in a pan, add all seasoning ingredients and add this to above chutney bowl.

7. Serve red bell pepper chutney with adai dosa /plain crispy dosa or with rice.

 Variations:

You can use  onion and tomato  along with Red Bell Pepper .