Zesty Garlic Chutney for Vada Pav

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This zesty garlic chutney is what makes vada pav so tantalizingly good. It has a long shelf life and you’ll find that it is a great way to amp up your meals.

An overhead shot of garlic chutney served in a brown ceramic bowl
Dry Garlic Chutney Recipe

About Garlic Chutney

Alternate names/spellings – lahsun chutney or lahsun ki chatni. Pronounced as lah-soon. 

Garlic chutney is popularly called as lasun or lehsun chutney. Lasun or Lehsun is the Hindi word for garlic. It is also referred to as lasun khobra chutney in Maharashtra because one of the key ingredients in this dish is grated dry coconut (English word for khobra).

Is it the same as the vada pav chutney?

Made with four basic ingredients – garlic, dry grated coconut, chilies and salt, this spicy and tangy dry chutney is what makes the popular Mumbai street food dish Vada Pav so appetizing. If you haven’t had vada pav before, it is a sandwich made of deep-fried breaded potato patty (also called vada) and pav, which is a small bread bun similar to the dinner rolls found in the US.

Its addition to this snack food made it popular and recognizable, so much so that it is now often called dry Vada Pav Chutney.

However, it is not just Vada Pav that benefits from its deliciousness. Folks often sprinkle it over toasted sandwiches and even simple bread and butter to spice them up. Traditionally, it is served as a relish in Maharashtrian cuisine, where it is eaten with rice dishes.

Ingredients in garlic chutney

Ingredients for garlic chutney laid out in grey plate - desiccated coconut, chili powder, garlic cloves, salt. Sesame seeds and red skin peanuts are in separate bowls.
Ingredients for lahsun chutney

The ingredients needed for this dry garlic chutney recipe include: 

There is no one way to make garlic chutney and the recipes will vary from one household to the other. I have listed below the most commonly found variations of this chutney. 

Variations

  1. Dry roasting vs roasting the ingredients in oil – It is a personal preference and you can do either. Frying the ingredients in oil impacts the texture and makes the chutney more clumpy. 
  2. Instead of desiccated coconut, you could use khobra (dried coconut pieces) or freshly grated coconut. If you are using freshly grated coconut, make sure to roast it till it is completely dry. Using desiccated coconut is the easiest because you need only a few seconds for it to brown compared to dry coconut pieces which take about 8-10 minutes of frying in medium-low flame.
  3. You could use whole Byadgi chilies or Kashmiri red chilies for this recipe as well but most folks prefer using store-bought chili powder for convenience sake. 
  4. As mentioned before, the optional ingredients that you can add to this chutney include roasted sesame seeds and peanuts to enhance the flavor and add nuttiness to this dish.
  5. Tamarind – In the southern part of India, people add tamarind to this recipe. My mom adds about a tablespoon of seedless tamarind to this mix, which gives it a nice tang. 
  6. Store-bought chutneys also sometimes include roasted and powdered coriander and cumin seeds

How to store

Store it in a cool and dry place for about a week. It lasts for about a month in the refrigerator and in the freezer for about 3-4 months. 

Prepare it and put it in Ziplock bags or an airtight freezer-safe glass container to freeze it. Since it is a dry powder, you don’t really need to portion it out before freezing as it will not clump together.

An overhead shot of lehsun chutney in grey plate
Dry Lehsun Chutney Recipe

If you are looking for more chutney recipes, here are a few more that you can pair with your Indian breakfast and snacks –

  1. Red chili chutney – a spicy and tangy chutney perfect for south Indian snacks.
  2. Coriander chutney – This green chutney is perfect for street food.
  3. Coriander-mint chutney – A delicious combination of cilantro and mint makes it perfect for sandwiches, idlis, and even street food. 
  4. Coconut chutney – Most South Indian breakfast and snacks can’t do without coconut chutney – a coconut-based dip that we all love to dunk our idli and dosas in.
  5. Tamarind date chutney – Here is a super easy, quick yet delicious recipe to make this mouthwatering tamarind date (khajur imli) chutney at home using your Instant Pot. Stovetop instructions are included too!
  6. Andhra style peanut chutney – If you love peanuts, this Andhra style peanut chutney is for you. Creamy and finger-licking good, this groundnut chutney is a perfect accompaniment to piping hot idlis, vadas, or dosas. 
Did you enjoy this recipe or have a question?Please leave a comment below. Don't forget to rate!
An overhead shot of garlic chutney served in a brown ceramic bowl
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Garlic Chutney (Vada pav chutney) Recipe

This zesty garlic chutney is what makes vada pav so tantalizingly good. This chutney has a long shelf life and you'll find that it is a great way to add zing to your meals.
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Cook Time: 10 minutes
Blending time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 16

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Dry roast the garlic along with peanuts on a medium-low flame while stirring occasionally. Once brown spots start appearing on the peanuts and garlic cloves, transfer it to a plate.
  • Reduce the heat to low and add desiccated coconut along with sesame seeds to the pan. Roast both of them till they are evenly browned (about 20-30 seconds).
  • Cool all the ingredients down to room temperature.
  • Transfer it to a blender, add salt and chili powder.
  • Blend it to a coarse texture.
  • Store it in a cool and dry place for about a week. Store it in a refrigerator for increased shelf life (about 1-2 months) or freeze it for about 6 months.

Notes

There is no one way to make garlic chutney and the recipes will vary from one household to the other. I have listed below the most commonly found variations of this chutney. 
Tips
  1. The desiccated coconut can brown pretty quickly so keep a close eye. 
  2. It is important for all the ingredients to cool down before grinding. This is because hot ingredients introduce moisture to the mixture decreasing its shelf life.
Variations
  1. I use about 2 teaspoons of mild Kashmiri chili powder but garlic chutneys are often spicy, feel free to increase the amount as desired.
  2. Dry roasting vs roasting the ingredients in oil - It is a personal preference and you can do either. Frying the ingredients in oil impacts the texture and makes the chutney more clumpy. 
  3. Instead of desiccated coconut, you could use khobra (dried coconut pieces) or freshly grated coconut. If you are using freshly grated coconut, make sure to roast it till it is completely dry. Using desiccated coconut is the easiest because you need only a few seconds for it to brown compared to dry coconut pieces which take about 8-10 minutes of frying in medium-low flame.
  4. You could use whole Byadgi chilies or Kashmiri red chilies for this recipe as well but most folks prefer using store-bought chili powder for convenience sake. 
  5. As mentioned before, the optional ingredients that you can add to this chutney include roasted sesame seeds and peanuts to enhance the flavor and add nuttiness to this dish.
  6. Tamarind - In the southern part of India, people add tamarind to this recipe. My mom adds about a tablespoon of seedless tamarind to this mix, which gives it a nice tang. 
  7. Store-bought chutneys also sometimes include roasted and powdered coriander and cumin seeds
Read the post...For helpful information on ingredient swaps, storage tips, meal prep ideas, and variations!

Disclaimer: Approximate nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and can vary depending on the exact ingredients/brands used. If you have health issues, please work with a registered dietician or nutritionist.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoonCalories: 51kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 80mgPotassium: 60mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 74IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
Diet: Vegan
Course: Accompaniment
Method: Stovetop
Keywords: spicy, Vada pav chutney
Cuisine: Indian

 

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