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South Indian peanut chutney with mustard seed and curry leaf tempering, served with idli and dosa

Peanut Chutney

Thick, nutty South Indian peanut chutney with dried red chilli, garlic and tamarind, finished with a mustard seed and curry leaf tempering. Ready in about 12 minutes.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Servings: 4 servings (about 1 cup)
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the chutney
  • 1 cup raw peanuts about 150 g, unsalted. Already roasted unsalted peanuts work too; skip the roasting step
  • 3 dried red chillies use Kashmiri chillies for a milder chutney
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp tamarind paste or a marble-sized piece of tamarind, or 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 0.75 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup water plus 2 to 3 tbsp more if needed
For the tempering
  • 1 tbsp oil any neutral oil
  • 0.5 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 0.5 tsp urad dal optional
  • 8 curry leaves skip if you cannot find them
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) optional; choose a gluten-free brand if needed

Equipment

  • 1 Blender
  • 1 Frying pan

Method
 

  1. Put the peanuts in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat. Roast, stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes, until they smell nutty, the skins crack and you see a few dark spots.
  2. Add the dried red chillies for the last minute of roasting, until they puff slightly. Tip everything onto a plate and let it cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. If you like a smoother chutney, rub the peanuts between your palms and blow away the loose skins. Leaving them on is fine.
  4. Put the peanuts, chillies, garlic, tamarind, salt and water in a blender. Blend to a thick paste, adding a spoonful of water at a time if the blades get stuck. Taste and adjust the salt, then spoon it into a bowl.
  5. Heat the oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the urad dal and stir until light golden, about 30 seconds.
  6. Add the curry leaves and asafoetida, stir for 10 seconds, and pour the tempering over the chutney.

Notes

Serve with: idli, dosa, uttapam, upma, or as a dip for raw vegetables and crackers.
Storage: keeps in a covered container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It thickens as it chills; stir in a spoonful of warm water before serving.
Outside India: any plain unsalted peanuts work. If you only have salted roasted peanuts, leave out the added salt and taste at the end.
Allergy note: this chutney is made from peanuts. Keep it away from anyone with a peanut allergy.