Thecha, a.k.a Kharda, a.k.a One Very Spicy Green Chili Chutney

Makes: A little under 1/3 cup of thecha, which doesn’t sound like much but a little goes a very, very long way

INGREDIENTS

• 10 - 15 green Indian chilies*

• 5 - 6 medium-sized garlic cloves

• 1/4 cup salted or unsalted roasted peanuts (I prefer salted)

• Tightly packed 1/4 cup worth fresh cilantro leaves

• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds

• 3 tsp neutral oil

• Salt, to taste

METHOD

• Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Once heated, add the cumin seeds and sauté till they stop sputtering. Toss in the green chilies and sauté till they are slightly browned and blistered.

• Next, add the garlic to the same pan and sauté till slightly browned. Add the peanuts and sauté again for another minute. Turn off the heat, transfer all the ingredients to a blender**, and let them cool down to room temperature.

• Once cooled, add the cilantro and salt to the blender and pulse to a coarse consistency.** Store in an air tight container and refrigerate for up to a month.

Notes;

*If you can’t source Indian green chilies, substitute them in equal parts with thin Thai green chilies. If the latter aren’t available either, substitute with 3 - 4 medium-sized Serrano peppers.

**For a more authentic and traditional style of preparation, skip the blender and use a pestle and mortar instead.