Shengdana Chutney

After soups and salads for RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine, its turn of the humble chutney which occupies a very small but important place in Maharashrian Thali. Chutneys in dry forms are served after lemon, salt and koshimbir (salad).. the rest follows after chutney! Chutneys in dry form usually include lasun(garlic) chutney, tilachi(sesame seeds) chutney and shengdana(peanut) chutney. Wet chutneys include naralachi(cocunut) chutney, pudina(mint) chutney, chinchechi(tamarind) chutney etc.

Shengdana chutney is a dry chutney prepared using roasted peanuts. It is usually served as a "tondi lavana" (just another condiment if the other items are not so spicy). It can be used as bread spread(usually with "Wada Pav") or spread over rotis with oil to make "spicy roles" or on bhakri to make "Bhakri Burger" or add to yoghurt to make "Dahi Chutney". My hubby loves adding this chutney to yoghurt with a pinch of salt to make dahi chutney to have with rotis. He also loves to eat dahi chutney with chaklis. I know this is a wierd combi but everyone at my in laws eats it. so now its not wierd anymore for me :D Spicy roles and bhakri burger are my mom's recipes but the credits of naming ceremony remain with me ;) If it would be too late to cook anything for tiffin, mom used to just spread some chutney on roti wit oil on it and roll it to make "spicy rolls" I just loved it and demanded them many times when some vegetables that I didnt like were cooked! "Bhakri Burger" is one heavenly dish that I miss here.. Mom used to make a bit thick bhakris and then cook them on cooking gas. They used to puff from all sides. Then she would lift the upper layer using a knife from the corners, then spread chutney and oil on it and then put back the upper layer. This hot bhakri wih spicy chutney seemed so nice and I used to call it "Bhakri Burger" :D Sweet memories of childhood.. now laugh at such stupid names and keep pondering what made me think of such names :D Before I get too nostalgic, heres goes the quick recipe..

Shengdana Chutney

What you need:

100 gm Peanuts, roasted and deskinned
3-4 tsp Red Chilli Powder
2 tsp Cumin seeds, roasted
1 tbsp Sesame seeds, roasted (optional)
Salt to taste

How to proceed:

1) Place peanuts in a blender and add chilli powder, roasted cumin and sesame seeds to it
2) Blend to a coarse powder, add salt and mix well