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.
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
The desiccated coconut can brown pretty quickly so keep a close eye.
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
I use about 2 teaspoons of mild Kashmiri chili powder but garlic chutneys are often spicy, feel free to increase the amount as desired.
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.
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.
As mentioned before, the optional ingredients that you can add to this chutney include roasted sesame seeds and peanutsto enhance the flavor and add nuttiness to this dish.
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.
Store-bought chutneys also sometimes include roasted and powdered coriander and cumin seeds.