Peanut Chutney

Peanut Chutney

This is one of our Baale Mane chutney recipes - chutney in South India is unlike chutney in Europe. It is a fresh, vegetable or nut based sauce/dip which is paired with idli, dosa and some rice dishes. This chutney is a peanut one, giving your meal a nutty flavour. 

Makes 1 medium-sized jar.  Feeds four people for a traditional breakfast.

Ingredients

  • 1 knuckle of tamarind (2 tsp of extract/paste if not using fresh tamarind.
  • ½ cup (75g) peanuts
  • 4 tsp oil, divided
  • A sprig of curry leaves (about 10-12 leaves)
  • 5 dried red chillies
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2 medium red onions, chopped
  • Salt
  • 10 coriander leaves
  • ½ tsp mustard seeds
  • 2-3 shallots, finely chopped
  • A pinch of asafoetida

This tangy, nutty chutney can be served with any snacks, idli, roti, paratha and even with bread. At Baale Mane we make this chutney to accompany most breakfast dishes..

If you are using peeled peanuts and tamarind extract, skip the preparation stages of this recipe.

Preparation

Soak the tamarind in very little water until it is soft. Mush it up with your fingers to extract the juice. Pass through a coarse sieve and keep aside.

Heat a heavy pan and dry roast the peanuts till the skin starts coming off. Keep shaking the pan so that the peanuts don’t burn. Let the peanuts cool and roll the peanuts between your hands and gently blow the skin off, to avoid a bitter taste.

Method

Heat 3 tsp oil in a pan, add the curry leaves and chillies and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic and onion and sauté till the onion is golden brown. Then add the peanuts and salt. Mix well and take off the heat.

Once it is cool add the thick tamarind juice and coriander. Transfer to a blender and blend into a paste. Add a little water to get a hummus like consistency. Empty it in a serving bowl.

In a very small pan, heat 1 tsp oil and add the mustard seeds until they start sputtering. Add the shallots and asafoetida, fry for a brief minute or two and pour the mixture on top of the peanut chutney.

This chutney is best eaten fresh, or within a few hours of making it. Serve with idli or dosa for breakfast, or lemon rice for lunch or dinner.