Khandesh special: Nistyachi Chutney

Khandeshi style red chili chutney


Tasting any regional cuisine is a wonderful experience. Authentic, rustic recipes, simple local ingredients are the keys to tasty food. I grew up in Western Ghats of Maharashtra and I love the locally grown vegetables and food prepared around the region. My cooking style and variety is highly influenced by regional food from that area. First time I visited Khandesh, everything I ate was very new for me including names of the dishes, ingredients. Their food in general is very spicy. They liberally use green chilies and red chilies in almost everything. Red chili powder, garam masala is rarely used in Khandeshi special dishes.

Clockwise From Top: Cilantro, salt, jaggery, tamarind, small red chilies, big red chilies, Garlic

This chutney is good example of rustic day today Khandeshi preparation. Minimum number of ingredients and simple procedure gives you taste to the food they eat. Its usually served with methi roti which I will share the recipe later. My mother in law adds little oil to the when she serves it to help digestion! Methi chapati/roti is usually yellow and this red chutney served on a green plantain leaf looks amazingly beautiful. I always feel Indian food is really vibrant in color and looks great on the plantain leaf!

Nistyachi Chutney

Lets move on to ingredients and the recipe -

8 small hot dry chilies
4 big/flat moderately hot dry chilies
4-5 cloves of garlic
1-2 tbsp jaggery
1 tsp tamarind (please do not use paste)
8-10 stems of cilantro
salt per taste
water if necessary

Procedure -
Add everything in the wet grinder. Grind into fine paste.
Adjust salt if necessary.
Set it sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Tips -

1. Please handle chilies carefully.
2. I like coarsely ground texture if this chutney but traditionally it is fine paste.
3. Sourdough bread, dab of earth balance spread and this chutney makes a perfect fusion appetizer.