Onion Thokku

Onion is an item that has seen a phenomenal change of perception in a cosmopolitan TamBram household within the past three decades.  During the days of grandmom, onion was as bad as meat, not to be brought anywhere in the vicinity of the agraharam.  When grandmother was replaced in the kitchen by mother, onions were included as a delicacy.  You'd wait for the rare occasion, possibly when there are guests, for mother to make aromatic shallots sambar, or onion chutney and the flavour would linger long after the dish was gone.  Slowly the once-a-month practice became a "weekend" special, with the aroma complimenting the title music of Star Trek in Doordarshan on Sunday mornings.

Today, onion is part of the daily menu. Rightly so, given its scientifically proven antibacterial properties, propensity to cure cold and coughs, promise to prevent cancer and most importantly, given the prevelance of heart diseases, its ability to prevent artheroschlerosis (plaque build up in heart arteries, leading to blocks and heart attack).



Even if one chooses to ignore the health benefits of onion, it is a must in the daily kitchen for possibility of quick fixes for any occasion.  Onion thokku, for example, is a delicious and quick side dish for dosa, idly, chappathi, rice and even bread.  It can be prepared in a jiffy and gives the meal a wholesomeness with minimal effort. And what's more, it can be refrigerated and used for a week.

And if you were a connoisseur, you'd add a drop of sesame oil to the chutney before serving and watch the idlys do the disappearing act.

If you want the thokku to have an additional garlic flavour, you could add 2-3 cloves of garlic while grinding.

Ingredients

Small onions (Shallots)- 1 Bowl
(If you don't have small onions, use the Big ones)
Kashmiri chilly/Red chilly-5
Salt to taste
I have used small onions which has lots of flavour.Also try using Kashmiri chillies which gives you colour with less spice.Soaking red chillies in cold water for an hour, adds more colour to the recipe.You can use Kashmiri chilly for any North Indian side dishes.
For seasoning
Mustard seeds
Hing powder a teaspoon each
Sesame oil- 3 Tablespoons

Procedure

1.Grind the above ingredients to a smooth paste.

2.Heat Sesame oil, add mustard seeds, let it splutter and add Hing powder.Then add the onion paste.

3.Simmer and cook for approximately 10 minutes with constant stirring inbetween.Serve with idli/dosai with a dash of sesame oil on top(just like idli milagai podi).