PEANUT CHUTNEY POWDER (North Karnataka Style "Shenga Chutney Pudi")

PEANUT CHUTNEY POWDER (also called “Shenga Chutney Pudi”) is a north Karnataka style dry peanut chutney/condiment with cumin and garlic; a lip smacking accompaniment to any meal!

We Indians love our dry chutney powders, be it spicy lentil based Molaga Podi (also called “Gun Powder”), Karbeva Chutney powder (dry curry leaves chutney) or the ubiquitous Vada Pav Chutney powder mostly used in a street food style Indian burger called Vada Pav!

But, recently, when I was watching a food show online, I was fascinated by an episode where the cuisine of north Karnataka (in the southern part of India) was being showcased. The banana leaf meal consisted of jolada roti (jowar flat bread), ennagayi (eggplant curry) and a red dry chutney powder which piqued my interest and made my mouth water!

It was this spicy, dry and delicious looking dry chutney powder using peanuts called “Shenga Chutney Pudi”; loosely translating to "Peanut Chutney Powder".

I saw the host literally sprinkling this red colored powder on his hot steamed rice and jolada roti, drizzling some melted ghee and gleefully gobbling up with a happy note in his face!

So, when my food buddies on Instagram came up with this theme to share some north Karnataka recipes this month, I jumped at the idea and the first dish was surely going to be this Shenga Chutney pudi as peanuts which is called ground nuts in India is my favorite munch on snack!

WHAT GOES INTO MAKING PEANUT CHUTNEY POWDER:

Basically the main ingredient is peanuts (you can use the ones with our without skin). Using the one with skin is always better nutrition wise.

To flavor up this condiment, the traditional ingredients are dry red chilies, cumin seeds, lots of garlic and some curry leaves. Some people do add some tamarind too.

I had just won this pack of spices sent over by this amazing spice maker company in USA called "Spicewalla”, in an Instagram giveaway contest and now was as good a time to use that Kashmiri Red chili powder which they sent along with some chaat masala and roasted cumin powder don’t you think? So in went that instead of the dry red chilies; saved me a bunch of time!

Rest of the ingredients are the same along with some Pink salt. You can use regular salt too.

If you love your chutney powder a tad sweet, just stir in some jaggery or sugar while blitzing the chutney powder. I did not add it as I found the sweetness of the peanuts was enough to satisfy me.

Just dry roast the ingredients one by one on medium low flame, cool and blitz using the pulse mode in the blender. Make it slightly coarse or fully fine, it is your choice. I love a bit of texture in my chutney powders.

That is it! Time to bottle and enjoy this spicy, easy to make Oil-free Shenga chutney pudi with jolada rotti or any Indian flat bread, sprinkled on toast or sandwiches, in vada pavs, mixed with rice or even curd/yogurt or like my husband enjoyed it – over his salad!

I know I am going to savor this mouthwatering chutney mixed with some oil to dip my dosas and idlis!

For more nutrition and flavor, feel free to add flax seeds, sesame seeds, some grated coconut etc. while roasting.

I think, being a peanut lover, this is going to be one of my favorite chutneys. You can even sprinkle them over dosas while cooking; can just imagine the flavor each bite of dosa is going to be!

Anyway, hope you all try this easy peasy, oil-free Spicy Dry Peanut Chutney Powder or as the people from North Karnataka call it "Shenga Chutney Pudi" soon to share with family.

They make amazing edible gifts too for any festival like the upcoming Diwali or even Christmas; just bottle and gift!

If you do make this, do rate and leave a comment below sharing your thoughts!

You can also share it on Instagram tagging me - @curryandvanilla16 or even on my Facebook page!

Enjoy Foodies and Happy Eating!

Do check out these other dry chutney powders from my blog which our family loves:

and some wet south Indian chutneys:

Now, let us check out how I made this new favorite of mine, Spicy Peanut Chutney Powder:

Yum

Spicy Peanut Chutney Powder (North Karnataka Style)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 2 cups

An Indian dry peanut chutney/condiment with cumin and garlic; a lip smacking accompaniment to any meal!

Ingredients

2 cups raw peanuts (with or without skin)
2 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
5 to 6 large garlic cloves (or 2 small garlic bulbs if using the Indian variety)
1 to 2 stalks of curry leaves; about 20 to 25 leaves
3 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (or 2 spicy red chili powder and 1 Kashmiri red chili powder)
1 tsp Pink Himalayan salt (or regular salt)

Instructions

In a wide saucepan, dry roast peanuts on medium low heat until you see the skin separating and black/dark brown spots on the nuts. Do not burn; roast only on medium flame stirring continuously.
Remove and set aside to cool.
In the same pan, dry roast curry leaves and garlic cloves; stirring continuously again until the leaves are dry and garlic has got a slightly browned edge. Remove and transfer with the peanuts.
Turn the heat off and roast cumin seeds until slightly toasty. The heat of the pan is enough to roast this aromatic spice!
Mix all these roasted ingredients and transfer to a blender jar along with red chili powder and salt.
When sufficiently cool, blitz in the blender using the pulse mode until the whole mixture becomes a coarse mixture. Do not blend too much or the peanuts will release its oil and become peanut butter!
Remove from jar and transfer to a bowl. Do a taste test and adjust salt and chili powder.
Mix well, cool and store in airtight glass jars.
Serve with dosa, idlis, rotis, chapathis, etc. These go great sprinkled on salads, in chaat dishes (vada pav), mixed with some ghee and rice as a delicious meal etc.
Enjoy Foodies and Happy Eating!

Notes

Adjust the amount of chili powder and cumin according to personal taste.

If you love a more garlicky flavor, do not hesitate to add some more depending upon the pungency of garlic.

This same chutney powder can be made using dry red chilies too. Just make sure to roast these until slightly crisp but not burnt!

For a different flavor, feel free to add flax seeds, sesame seeds, dessicated, dry or fresh coconut etc.

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STEP-WISE INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE SPICY PEANUT CHUTNEY POWDER:

In a wide saucepan, dry roast peanuts on medium low heat until you see the skin separating and black/dark brown spots on the nuts. Do not burn; roast only on medium flame stirring continuously.

Remove and set aside to cool.

In the same pan, dry roast curry leaves and garlic cloves; stirring continuously again until the leaves are dry and garlic has got a slightly browned edge. Remove and transfer with the peanuts.

Turn the heat off and roast cumin seeds until slightly toasty. The heat of the pan is enough to roast this aromatic spice!

Mix all these roasted ingredients and transfer to a blender jar along with red chili powder and salt.

When sufficiently cool, blitz in the blender using the pulse mode until the whole mixture becomes a coarse mixture. Do not blend too much or the peanuts will release its oil and become peanut butter!

Remove from jar and transfer to a bowl. Do a taste test and adjust salt and chili powder.

Mix well, cool and store in airtight glass jars.

Serve with dosa, idlis, rotis, chapathis, etc. These go great sprinkled on salads, in chaat dishes (vada pav), mixed with some ghee and rice as a delicious meal etc.