This dish saw the light of day because of Idlis. Let’s begin this blog by giving you an understanding of what ‘Idli’ is. Pronounced ed-da-li, it’s a very popular breakfast dish across India, especially in the South. It’s a steamed savory cake made with rice and de-husked black lentils. It is usually served with some assorted chutneys and Sambar (one of the many Indian lentil curries). As a child I absolutely disliked having Idli which was quite contrary to my Mother’s sustenance palette. This was one of her favorite breakfast dishes and we would have it 3 to 4 times a week. Now, knowing it was an easy meal to make for a working Mother, I didn’t give her a hard time. Although, to make Idli consumable, I would resort to some condiments that terrified my Mother; sometimes with jam or homemade fruit preserve or even ketchup. It was something like having pancakes with Barbeque sauce. If you are an Indian reader, I know exactly what you are thinking; YUCK. I think that’s when my Mother came up with this chutney to put herself out of the misery of sitting across the dining table and watch my bizarre eating habits. What’s wonderful about this peanut chutney is that it has been a part of so many meals in my family. Being a part of a multi-cultural dwelling this chutney sure had its work cut out. It was no longer my rescuer from those dreadful Idlis but we always had it with parathas (Indian stuffed flat bread). Today, in the MoTa (Mohanty and Tandon) household it’s an essential in our veggie platter, or, we often use it as a spread in our sandwiches. This chutney is so delicious and versatile that I am very certain you will incorporate it in your meals, regardless of which part of the world you belong.

INGREDIENTS

• Peanuts – 1 cup, skin or skinless
• Whole dried chili – 3 to 6 (depending on your tolerance for heat)
• Garlic cloves – 3 to 4 (large cloves), peeled
• Water – 3/4 cup
• Tamarind paste – 3 tablespoon
• Avocado oil – 2 tablespoon
• Salt – 1/2 teaspoon

DIRECTIONS

1. The first step is to roast the peanuts. To do that, heat a heavy skillet on medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil and let it heat for another minute. Add the peanuts and chili then stir it every minute or so. The roasting process should take about 5 to 8 minutes. Roasted peanuts turn darker and slightly brown. When you notice that, turn off the flame, transfer them onto a plate and let cool.
   Keep an eye on the peanuts, as they don’t take much time to burn. If you think that your peanuts have roasted even before the afore mentioned time, turn off the flame and transfer them to a plate to cool.
2. Now incorporate the roasted ingredients with the garlic, tamarind paste, water and salt, into a blender. Blend until it’s a smooth paste. If you think your chutney is too thick, you may add some water-2 tablespoon at a time to seek the desired consistency. Also, check for salt, adding more water can dilute the flavors, hence may need a little salt.

NOTES

• Tamarind Paste: Can be found in the form of a paste or as whole tamarind in any oriental or international grocery store. Make sure to read the ingredients before purchasing. The ingredient list should display only tamarind, no sugar or salt. If using whole tamarind, you can soak it in water (3/4 cup) ahead of time and strain the juices to use in the recipe. Do not add more water to the recipe unless you feel your chutney’s is too thick.
• Color: Depending on the peanuts and tamarind paste the color of your chutney may vary. The chutney in the photo turned darker because I used a concentrated tamarind paste, along with skin-on roasted peanuts.

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