Peanut Chutney Pudi

Where was I all these past days? Well, I was busy with my brother-in-law’s wedding. The wedding was on last weekend and now some breather for us, before my sis’s wedding in a couple of weeks!
With an already hectic schedule, my MIL met with an accident 4 weeks before the wedding! And that needed a few days of hospitalization, a nasal surgery, some dental treatments, etc… Being a person who had never been admitted to a hospital, it was too much for her to get over this. And the responsibilities on our shoulders more than doubled, with hospital work added to the wedding work. Somehow, by God’s grace, the difficult times seem to be over and the wedding went on pretty smooth.

Well, when things were like this, all I wanted every day, was to finish off the cooking part soon, but still not disappointing people’s expectations, so that I could concentrate on other work including office. Jars of Chutney pudis do come in very handy at such times. But unfortunately (or fortunately for me) the always-almost-filled jars of chutney pudi had just reached the bottom! And I knew making it once, spending some time would save up a lot of time subsequently.


This version of chutney pudi is actually a quick fix in our households. The conventional, traditional one using different lentils is what is generally made, but is quite laborious. Whereas this one, uses just peanuts and red chilies making it the simplest to make! But the taste, however, is quite rich because of the oil from peanuts and is quite addictive.


Learnt from mom, I call it the simplest and easiest chutney pudi ever.

Peanut Chutney Pudi

Preparation time : 10 min
Cooking time : 5 min
Shelf life : 2-3 months

Ingredients:
Peanuts - 2 cups
Red chilies - 1 cup, packed; I use Byadagi variety. Guntoor variety may be used for a spicy version
Salt - 2-3 Tsp, depending on taste

Method:
• Dry roast peanuts in a skillet or in microwave, till the husk begins to show cracks
• Dry roast chilies separately till they are crisp
• Allow both to cool completely
• Add salt and grind all the three ingredients to a coarse powder
• Ensure not to grind too much as it forms into lumps
• Spread it out on a dry tray and allow to dry for half an hour
• Transfer it to an air tight jar
• Tastes great when mixed with steam cooked rice and a spoonful of oil
• Also good with dosas, rotis, etc

Notes:
• Ensure that roasted items are cooled before grinding, to avoid lumping
• A small marble sized ball of tamarind may also be roasted and ground together - But I prefer the simpler version