Translate to your native language

Peanut and Dried Coconut Chutney

Peanuts are said to have originated in South America but are now a staple in many parts of India, especially Maharashtra. They are not nuts but are actually legumes like green peas, soybeans, and lentils, but have almost the same health benefits as the more expensive nuts like walnuts. Peanuts are acidic in nature when roasted and are better eaten soaked overnight. However, their shelf life is short in the soaked form. They contain a good amount of magnesium, folate, vitamin E and copper, which help prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels. On the other hand, many plant-based doctors recommend heart patients avoid consuming ANY ingredient that has fat in it and peanuts have a good amount of it. 22 to 30% of the total calories are proteins and 100 gms of peanuts contain almost 50 grams of fat making them a delicious and satiating snack or part of a meal. This is why peanuts have found a fond place in the diet of rural India. Peanuts have a low-glycemic index so release energy into the blood stream at a slow pace. This means that they don’t cause a spike in blood sugar levels and have shown to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Peanuts also contain a good amount of fibre, an ingredient that helps reduce inflammation and helps keep bowel movement smooth. The thin papery skin contains many antioxidants and phytochemicals and is beneficial to fight free radicals so eat your peanuts whole!

Recipe: Darshana Muzumdar

Makes around 1½ cups

Ingredients

  • ½ cup peanuts
  • ½ cup dried grated coconut
  • 2 tsps jeera (cumin)
  • 8-10 chillies
  • 30-35 cloves garlic
  • ½ tsp salt or to taste

Method

  • Peel and cut the garlic in half and keep aside.
  • Dry roast the peanuts on low to medium heat till they are a light golden brown and have lost their raw flavour. Transfer them to a plate and allow to cool.
  • Dry roast the salt on low to medium heat for a few seconds to remove any moisture. Add this to the peanuts.
  • Dry roast the dried grated coconut on low to medium heat till it is a light golden brown and has a roasted flavour. Add this to the peanuts and allow to cool.
  • Break the red chillies into smaller pieces and roast them along with the cumin on medium heat till they are light brown and the jeera starts popping. Take care not to let either of them burn. Add this to the peanut mixture.
  • Roast the garlic on low to medium heat till it gets light brown spots. There is no need to add any oil as the coconut will have already released oil on the surface of the kadhai. Add this to the peanuts and coconut.
  • Blend all the ingredients for half a minute or so till it is ground coarsely. Take care not to blend it too much as it can start releasing oil.
  • Enjoy this delicious peanut chutney as an accompaniment in a traditional Indian meal.

For the Whole-Food Plant-Based (WFPB) version:

Use unrefined salt like rock salt.

This is a WFPB recipe but contains a lot of fat and should be eaten in small quantities.

Leave a Reply

Shopping Basket