Andhra-Style Palli Chutney: Peanut Chutney with a Groundnut Oil Tadka

Palli chutney — peanut chutney — is a staple on breakfast tables across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Roasted peanuts are ground with red chillies, garlic and a little tamarind, then finished with a crackling tadka of mustard seeds and curry leaves. Using groundnut oil for both the roasting and the tadka keeps the flavour rounded and nutty.

Ingredients

• ½ cup raw peanuts
• 2–3 dried red chillies
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 garlic cloves
• A small lemon-sized piece of tamarind (or 1 tsp tamarind paste)
• Salt to taste
• About ½ cup water
• 1 tsp VedSaras Wood Press Groundnut Oil, for roasting
• For the tadka: 1 tbsp VedSaras Wood Press Groundnut Oil, ½ tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp urad dal, 1 dried red chilli, 8 curry leaves, a pinch of hing

Method

1. Dry roast the peanuts in a pan on medium heat, stirring, until they are aromatic and lightly spotted. Cool, then rub off the skins if you prefer a smoother chutney.
2. In 1 tsp groundnut oil, roast the red chillies, cumin and garlic for about a minute.
3. Grind the peanuts, roasted spices, tamarind and salt with water to a smooth, thick chutney. Add water a little at a time.
4. For the tadka, heat the groundnut oil and add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the urad dal and cook until golden, then the red chilli, curry leaves and hing.
5. Pour the tadka over the chutney. Serve with idli, dosa, upma or pesarattu.

Kitchen tips

• Roast the peanuts patiently on medium heat — scorched peanuts turn the chutney bitter.
• Peanut chutney thickens as it stands; loosen with a spoon of water before serving.
• Groundnut is a major allergen. Anyone with a peanut allergy should avoid this recipe and groundnut oil.

Made with

VedSaras™ Wood Press Groundnut Oil

Mild and nutty, slow-pressed from groundnuts — lets your spices shine in everyday cooking. Available in 1000 ml and 500 ml.

View the oil