Rajasthani Chili Garlic Chutney Image Used Under Creative Commons License From mygingergarlickitchen.com
The sublime heat of chile peppers is improved by very few things – that said, the addition of a ludicrous amount of garlic and some additional spices makes for an unmatched condiment! This recipe for Rajasthani chili garlic chutney - aka Lasun ki Chutney is an essential for any kitchen that demands powerful and untamed flavors as mine does.
Not familiar with Rajasthan province? Then allow the pedagogue that is TFD to educate you on its fiery cuisine and why you need to make this recipe with all haste!
As noted on ohmyrajasthan.com:
In India, the finest cuisines are influenced by Mughals and European Cooking. However, the desert state of India remained untouched. In Rajasthan, cooking is considered to be an art.
Rajasthan is a warfare-oriented community and the cooking here is influenced by the same lifestyle which needs long lasting meals. Rajasthan is famous for its great hospitality and good food. One can experience the Royal culture of Rajasthan through its various mouth watering dishes spreading the heavenly aroma of spices. Due to scarcity of water and dearth of fresh vegetables in the desert areas, the dried and powdered spices play an important role in Rajasthani cuisine.
The various spices give unique flavor and fragrance to the food. The major spices used in almost all the Rajasthani food such as red chilies, pepper, cloves, mustard seeds, cardamoms, cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds and dried mango powder gives unforgettable intricate taste which heighten your taste buds satisfying the hunger and soul.
These spices also allow the prepared food to last long in the hot climatic conditions of Rajasthan. The spices also lend the required color and texture to the gravies and curry used in many of the Rajasthani foods.
A famous Rajasthani non vegetarian dish is Laal Maas which is fiercely hot and spicy. The word Laal means red and it is named so because of the color it gets due to the use of red chilies in various forms. Also apart from the curry and gravies, the spices like chili powder, mint, garlic, and turmeric are used in preparing various chutneys.
Rajasthan food is feared by many because of its fierce chilies and definitely it is hotter than the most. But we have a string of sweet dishes as well.
Citizens, I have made my own version of this classic and believe – immodestly – that it is the finest version of it you will sample! Mine is a more complex variant of the standard recipe, and includes a range of Rajasthani spicing! I call for Amchur, which is a powder made from dried green mangoes. This is my preferred brand.
Top-quality Kashmiri chili powder is a must for this dish – it is not very hot and adds a brilliant red color to the dish – you can find my brand here. Chiles de Arbol are another backbone ingredient, and this is my go-to source.
Turmeric is one of the healthiest spices you can ingest – buy a good amount of the best brand here. Asafoetida is a powerful – VERY POWERFUL – spice used in minute quantities in Indian cuisine to add a potent garlic flavor and also to help with digestion. Most brands in the U.S. are diluted heavily – get the real deal here and use it in extreme moderation!
The last unusual ingredient is mustard oil, which is more typical of Bengali cuisine but is called for in this recipe. Most brands of mustard oil are NOT suitable for use in cooking due to high concentrations of a type of chemical that can make you ill – this brand is totally safe and the only one I can recommend. If you prefer not to use mustard oil, I have a suggested alternative in the recipe.
This chutney can stay fresh for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator and remember that you can easily reduce the number of chilies according to your spice tolerance. TFD salutes you, his mighty Citizens, and hopes you enjoy this recipe!
Battle on – The Generalissimo
The Hirshon Rajasthani Chili Garlic Chutney – लसà¥à¤¨ की चटनी
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds, freshly-ground
- 1 large head Garlic, cloves peeled
- 5 Dried Red Chilies de Arbol, stems removed and deseeded or leave the seeds in for a a serious spicy kick - freshly-groumd to a powder
- 3 tbsp organic tomato paste
- 2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder (strongly preferred) or use Hungarian hot paprika
- Asafoetida (hing) - a pinch (optional but recommended)
- 1 ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp coriander seeds, freshly-ground
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds, freshly-ground (very optional but TFD likes it)
- 2 ½ tsp amchoor, dried green mango powder - while not traditional, TFD also suggests trying Persian dried lime powder as a substitute or tamarind paste or as a last resort, lemon juice
- Salt To Taste
- 6 ½ tbsp Water
- 2 tbsp mustard oil (strongly preferred) - use only the brand outlined above! If unavailable, substitute canola oil with 1 tsp dry mustard mixed in
- 2 tbsp canola oil
Instructions
- Combine the garlic cloves, dried red chili, red chili powder, cumin seeds, turmeric, tomato paste, asafoetida, amchoor, fenugreek, coriander seeds, salt, and water in a blender to make a smooth paste.
- Heat oil in a cast iron pan.
- When the oil is very hot, add chutney to it along with some water.
- Stir well and let it cook on medium-low heat until the raw smell is gone and chutney is thick and loses any oil on the surface.
- Stir occasionally to prevent it burning.
- Bottle once cool and it keeps up to two weeks in the fridge.
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