Shengdanyachi Chutney / Maharashtrian Peanut Chutney

Shengdanyachi Chutney is a healthy and flavorful peanut side-dish from the Maharashtrian Cuisine. This peanut chutney has a lovely nutty flavor, is moderately spicy and serves as a delicious pair with flat bread like chapati, dashmi, dhirde or thalipeeth. Roasted peanut powder is stir-fried with spiced onions to make this lip smacking peanut chutney. With a very easy to follow recipe, and handful of ingredients, this protein-rich peanut chutney makes a vegan and gluten-free side-dish. The best thing about this Shengdanyachi chutney is that it comes to rescue when you run out of veggies.

Maharashtrian Cuisine and Peanuts:

Maharashtrian Cuisine is the Cuisine of Marathi people from the Indian state of Maharashtra. Maharashtrian meals are based on the principle of Ayurveda. We Maharashtrians plan our daily meals such that it is well balanced. A traditional Maharashtrian thali will have rice , lentils, chapati, curry, vegetable stir-fry, pickle, salad, papad, chutney and a dessert. 

I belong to the North-Western region of Maharashtra which covers areas like Jalgaon, Malegaon and Nasik. This region is known for its extremely spicy curries and the cuisine is called the Khandeshi Cuisine. Highlight of this cuisine is that peanuts, coconut and Lavangi Mirchi (the hot variety of red chili) are widely used in the everyday cooking. The curries are identifiable because of the red spicy oil that floats atop and is called "Tarang or Tarri". 

Roasted peanut powder is added to curries like Bharli Wangi, Bhogichi Bhaji, Bharli Karli, Bharva Bhendi. Peanuts are used for tempering everyday breakfast dishes like Kande Pohe, Rava Upma and Ukadpendi. One cannot imagine savory snacks like Chivda without a generous amount of fried peanuts in it. Apart from that many chutneys and curries are made with peanuts as the star ingredient. Peanuts are also a popular food during fasts (vrats) like Ekadshi, Navratri etc. Fasting dishes like Sabudana Khichdi , Raw Banana cutlets , Peanut Coconut Ladoo have good amount of peanuts.

Health Benefits of Peanuts:

                                                                                      

Peanuts are excellent plat based source of protein and are rich in various vitamins,healthy fats and fiber. Peanuts add a nutty flavor and creamy texture to the dish apart from the various health benefits it offers. They contain potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and Vitamin B. Despite being high in calories, peanuts are nutrient rich and low in carbohydrates. Eating them in moderation as a part of balanced diet may support heart health, help a person to maintain healthy weight and manage the blood sugar levels. Peanuts have more protein than any nut (7 gram per serving) containing more than 30 essential vitamins and minerals, and a re a good source of fiber and good fats. source

What goes into this Shengdanyachi Chutney?

You will find many varieties of peanut chutneys in Maharshtrian Cuisine. Let'shave a look at the ingredients going in this version.

Peanuts: The key ingredient of this chutney is obviously peanuts. Protein rich peanuts are not only healthy nuts but also lend a lovely nutty flavor to the chutney. Raw peanuts are roasted on low to medium flame for 7-10 minutes. The skin is peeled off on cooling by rubbing the roasted peanuts in a kitchen towel. These roasted peanuts are then coarsely ground and used to make this chutney. 

Onions: Finely chopped onions are sauteed in oil before the roasted peanut powder is being added to it. Caramelized onions lend a mildly sweet taste to the chutney which balances the spice levels.

Garlic: 2-3 garlic cloves are used in this chutney

Cumin Seeds: Cumin seeds are used to temper the chutney

Spice Powders: Turmeric powder and red chili powder are the spice powders used in this recipe. The amount of red chili powder can be adjusted as per the spice tolerance.

Oil: Ideally this chutney is cooked in peanut oil but you can replace it with any other neutral cooking oil. 

                                 

Go Nuts For Peanuts @Healthy Wealthy Cuisines

I am a part of a Facebook gourmet group, healthy wealthy Cuisine here in participating bloggers share recipes every fortnight on  pre-decided themes. Go Nuts for peanuts is the current theme suggested by Jayashree who is a wonderful person and a versatile food blogger. Do check out her space for many traditional South Indian recipes and delicious easy-to-do food recipes from around the globe. You may want to try out her Mango Panna Cotta this Summer season. Jayashree suggested that we share the recipes with peanuts as the star ingredient. I have already shared Homemade Peanut Butter, Peanut Curd Dip, Instant peanut Coconut Ladoo, already on the blog. Shegdanyachi Chutney is my humble contribution towards the theme. Checkout the following contributions by my fellow bloggers on this theme.

• Corn Peanut Chaat by Swaty
• Eggless Peanut Cookies by Sasmita
  
• Dry Peanut Chutney without Garlic by Ruchi
  
• Peanut chaat with raw mangoes by Sujata
  
• No Fry Masala Peanuts by Vanitha
  
• Vegan Peanut Curd by Jayashree
  
• Peanut chaat by Shalu

                                                 

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 1 cup peanut chutney

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shelled raw dry peanuts
• 1 large onion
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1-2 teaspoon of red chili powder or as per your spice tolerance
• 2 tablespoon oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Dry roast the peanuts on a heated skillet or pan over low to medium flame for 5-7 minutes or until you hear a crackling sound from the roasted peanuts. Make sure you stir the peanuts occasionally so that they do not burn.The peanuts should turn golden brown in colour without getting too many black spots. Once you see cracks on the peanuts and the skin starts peeling out its time to put off the flame.

2. Remove the roasted peanuts on a plate and allow it to cool down. Rub the peanuts in a kitchen towel or on the plate itself to peel off the skin. Discard the peels and transfer peanuts in a chutney jar of your mixer-grinder. Pulse 2-3 times to get a coarse peanut powder.

3. Next, heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds to it. Once they crackle, add the minced garlic and saute for a minute or so. Next, til in the choppe onions and stir-fry them until they become translucent. Do not burn them.

4. Now lower the flame and add turmeric powder and red chili powder. Stir fry the spices for a minute or so. 

5. Now add roasted peanut powder to this onion masala and give a good stir. Add around 1/4 cup water and salt to it. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the chutney to cook for 4-5 minutes on low flame.

6. You will see red spicy oil floating above the chutney as the water dries up. Put off the flame at this stage. the chutney thickens and dries up further on cooling so do not over cook the chutney. It tastes best when it has some moisture in it.

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7. Serve the chutney with any flatbread of your choice as a side-dish along with your main meal and enjoy the flavorful treat!

I hope a few of you would love to try out this recipe. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with us in the form of likes and comments in the comment section below this post. All your suggestions are also more than welcome. If you like my work and feel it is worth following, do hit the follow button at the top right corner of this blog. Your appreciation means a lot to me. For more recipes and new updates follow us on social media.

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Do check out the following for more peanut recipes from this blog

• Homemade Peanut Butter

                                    

• Peanut Curd Dip

                                     

• Instant Peanut Coconut Ladoo