PEANUT SESAME CHUTNEY POWDER

 PEANUT SESAME CHUTNEY POWDER

When we were young, in India "groundnuts" was more commonly used to identify this popular legume, called Moongphalli in Hindi, Verkadalai in Tamil and Kadalekayi in Kannada. Probably because of the American influence over the last few decades, they are being more commonly called peanuts in India as well. Technically, peanuts are part of the larger groundnut family. 

In my house, peanuts are always welcome. I use them often in my cooking as they are rich in protein and fat and have numerous health benefits as well. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with peanuts, such as:-

• Congress Kadalekayi (Roasted and Spiced Peanuts) 
• Tilli Phalli Shimla Mirch
• Verkadalai (Peanut) Sundal

Today's recipe is for an easy to make yet yummy dry chutney powder made with peanuts and sesame seeds. I have adapted this from Peanuts and Sesame Dry Chutney from Vinaya's Culinary Delights.

This goes great with bhakris, chapatis, etc 

Ingredients:-

• Peanuts, 1 cup
• Sesame Seeds (Til), 1/2 cup
• Garlic Cloves, 8-10
• Cumin Seeds,(Jeera),  1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• Tamarind, pellet-sized, 
• Salt, to taste

Method:-

Dry roast the peanuts in a kadhai on medium/low flame till the peanuts pop and change colour
Allow it to cool and de-skin the peanuts. Keep aside.
Dry roast the sesame seeds till they splutter. Keep aside. 

Peel and lightly dry roast the garlic cloves. Keep aside.

Dry roast the cumin seeds for a few seconds

In a mixer jar, grind together the roasted ingredients: deskinned peanuts, sesame, garlic cloves, cumin seeds along with chilli powder, tamarind and salt to a coarse powder

Blend them well, using the mixer in short bursts in pulse mode. 

Please note that running it for long will result in the peanuts and sesame seeds giving off oil

Serve this chutney powder as accompaniment to bhakri, rotis, chapatis, etc 

Hints: 

• Don't blend the mixture to too fine a powder. It should preferably be slightly coarse
• You can vary the extent of red chilli powder depending on how hot or otherwise you like your chutney powder to be
• Dry roasting the garlic cloves before use is optional