Peanut Garlic Dry Chutney Powder

I am a sucker for garlic and this Maharashtrian dry chutney is my favorite. We also make other variations of it by adding channa daal / sesame seeds / curry leaves / dry roasted coriander seeds or grated dry coconut but today I will share the basic recipe for lasun shegdana kordi chutney or podi.

It is simple, flavorful and goes well with anything from chapati, bread, pav, dosa or cheela or idli. Layer it inside the vada pav or toss a little over some salad.

(The authentic vada pav chutney has grated roasted  dry coconut it in. Will share that recipe soon.)

You can also eat it with hot steamed rice. Just don’t forget to top it up with hot ghee (clarified butter) for that yummy taste. The minimal ingredients make it very versatile in use.

This chutney pairs well with bhakri made with either jowar (sorghum flour) or bajra (Pearl Millet flour). A dollop of fresh butter and the hot chutney adds to the flavor of the freshly made bhakri. I make Zunka Bhakar and serve it with this chutney and some raita or plain yogurt. A wholesome rustic meal full of nutrition.

To make this spicy chutney powder you will need :

Ingredients :

Raw Shelled Peanuts – 1 cup

Garlic – 8-10 cloves

Dry Whole Red Chilies – 4-5 ( use them as per your heat threshold)

Groundnut Oil – 3 tablespoon

Asafoitida – 1/4 teaspoon

Tamarind – lemon size ball ( deseeded)

Salt – To taste

Method:

1. Dry roast the peanuts and rub them to remove the skin. Blow the sking away. Keep the peanuts aside to cool. Always roast a few at a time and on slow heat or they won’t get roasted properly. Either they will burn or remain raw. Nuts do not like crowding. 🙂
2. In a kadhai or pan add a little oil and caramelize the garlic cloves. Keep 2-3 aside if you like the raw flavour of garlic otherwise saute them all. Once done, take them out in a plate and chop roughly.
3.  Now roast the whole red chilies for that deeper flavour. You can omit the roasting of garlic and chilies if you wish but roasting them adds to the flavour and helps to keep the chutney powder for longer time.
4. In a grinder add all the ingredients and pulse it to a medium coarse powder. Do not make it very smooth or the oil from peanuts will start separating. Also ensure that the peanuts are cooled before grinding. Always pulse slowly to get the right coarseness. e don’t want a garlicky peanut butter, do we?
5. While grinding stir the mixture with a spatula between each burst to ensure even grinding. The chutney tends to become clumpy so loosening it helps in a good texture.
6. Take it out in an air tight container and use when desired.
7. You can store it for at least 2-3 weeks. Longer than that may turn the peanuts rancid and the chutney will go waste.
8. Some people dry the chutney powder in the sun for an hour or so to remove all moisture and then store it a bit longer. I prefer to make in small quantities. The freshness of the chutney is the key to the authentic aroma and flavour.
9. The spicy garlic peanut dry chutney powder is ready to eat.