Peanut Onion Chutney ~ Day 56

This easy and delicious peanut chutney / dip makes a great accompaniment to the South Indian breakfast dishes like, Idli, Dosai, Pongal or Upma.  I even like to have it with chapati. This high protein chutney can also be made without onion and garlic.  Just substitute onion with some fresh or frozen grated coconut while grinding.

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Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

• Raw peanuts - 1 cup
• Onion - 1, small, chopped
• Garlic - 2 cloves
• Ginger - a small piece
• Red chilies - 3 or to taste
• Green chilies - 2 or to taste
• Tamarind - a small marble sized or 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
• Salt - to taste
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few, finely shredded
• Oil - 3 tsp
• Water - 1 cup or more for grinding

Method: 

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a small skillet.  Add the red, green chilies, garlic and ginger.  Saute for 20 seconds. Add the chopped onion and saute for a minute.  
2. Add the peanuts and tamarind.  Toast until the peanuts are golden brown.  Let it cool.  Grind the peanuts with salt, tamarind paste (if using) and water into coarse or smooth paste. 
3. Heat 2 tsp oil in the same skillet and splutter mustard seeds.  Add the shredded curry leaves and add the tempering to the chutney.  Mix well.
4. Serve as an accompaniment along with Idli, Dosai or Pongal.

Verkadalai / Peanut Sundal ~ Navarathri Recipe

Ingredients:
Verkadalai / Dry Peanuts - 1 cup
Grated Coconut - 2 TBSP
Lemon Juice - 1 TBSP (optional)
Salt - to taste
For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 2
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Few curry leaves
Spice powder: Dry roast until fragrant and grind to a fine powder
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Whole black pepper - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
White sesame seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Soak the peanuts in enough water for 2 hours.
2. Drain and pressure cook with 1 cup of water and salt for 3 to 4 whistles.  Drain and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a skillet and add the mustard seeds. Let it splutter.
4. Add urad dal, red chillies, asafoetida and curry leaves.  Fry till golden brown.
5. Add the drained peanuts and mix well.  Add the ground spice powder and mix thoroughly.
6. Cook for a minute.  Adjust salt.
7. Add the grated coconut and mix well.
8. Mix in the lemon juice and serve.

Peanut ~ Sesame ~ Almond Ladoo for Navarathri

Ingredients:
Peanuts - 2 cups
White Sesame Seeds - 1 cup
Almonds - 1 cup
Powdered Jaggery - 2 cups
Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp

Method:
Dry roast Peanuts (with the skin)  to light brown.
Dry roast almond for 1 minute.
Dry roast sesame seeds until golden brown.
Let it cool.
Grind all of them into a coarse powder.
Add the powdered jaggery and cardamom.   Pulse until the natural oil releases from the nuts.
Transfer the ground powder to a plate and shape into desired size balls.



Happy Navarathri

Green Pepper / Capsicum and Peanut Curry

Ingredients:

Shelled Peanuts - 1/2 cup

Green pepper / Capsicum - 4-5 (cut into big chunks)

Jaggery - 1 TBSP

Salt - to taste

For the paste:

Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp

White Sesame Seeds - 2 tsp

Red Chilies - 4 or to taste

Whole Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Chana dal - 1 tsp

Grated fresh Coconut - 3 TBSP

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Tamarind paste - 2 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Tempering:

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Few Curry Leaves

Method:

1. Pressure cook peanuts in 3/4 cup water for 2 whistles.
2. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and fry all the ingredients for the paste (except coconut and tamarind paste) until golden brown.
3. Let it cool, mix in coconut and tamarind paste and grind to a smooth paste with 1/4 cup of water.
4. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves.
5. Add the green peppers and fry for 2 minutes.  Do not over cook.  Remove from the pan and keep it aside.
6. Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the ground paste.  Add salt and jaggery.  Mix well.  Bring it to a boil.
7. Simmer and cook for 10 minutes.  Add the boiled peanuts and green peppers and simmer for another five minutes.
8. Serve hot with plain rice or roti.