Have you ever wondered why chutney plays a significant role in defining the food culture of India? Let's start with understanding what chutney is. In simple words, it is a desi condiment that helps enhance flavours of a meal. But if you dive in deep, you will understand chutney is more than just a condiment. It is, in fact, a tradition that is passed on through generations. This is why you will never find chutneys following any strict recipe. Chutney recipes vary from region to region. In Bengal, you will find sweet chutneys, made with fruits like grapes, raw mango etc; whereas, in South India, chutneys are freshly pound and referred to as pachadi. Pachadi is made with different ingredients - ranging from pineapples to gongura. In Northeast India, we find chutneys made with chicken, fish et al. What fascinates us the most is the fact that chutney in each area is prepared specially to compliment the food habit of its people, thus defining the food culture of the region and India as a whole.
Besides these classic regional chutney recipes, we also find several experimental chutney recipes everywhere. Take dry garlic chutney for instance. Inspired from Maharashtrian fiery garlic powder that is served with vada pav, this recipe includes garlic pods for aroma, peanut for the crunch and desiccated coconut for the texture. All these delicious ingredients come together to make a spicy mix that goes well with vada pav, paratha, idli, uttapam, sandwich and more. And if you are someone who likes some heat in your food, then do not forget to add a good amount of red chilli in the chutney. Let's find out the recipe.
How To Make All-Purpose Garlic Chutney Powder:
For this particular recipe, you need garlic, peanuts, red chilli, desiccated coconut, sesame seeds and salt. Dry roast each of the ingredients separately and bring together in a blender and blend into a coarse powder. The sesame seeds and peanuts often release some oil when pounded. This may add the oily texture to the chutney. If not, you may add a spoon of oil while churning. And if you are looking for the fiery red colour in your chutney, add some Kashmiri red chilli powder to it.
Cool down the mix and store it in an airtight jar for anytime use. It enhances your meal experience in a jiffy. Click here for step-by-step recipe.