Green chilli-Ginger pachadi—It is Ssssspicy🌶️ !

Indian meals are not complete without condiments like pickles, raitas, chutneys and relishes. In this list, we can include the pachadis, which are a tangy-sweet-sour-spicy condiment made with various ingredients.

We make this Milagai pachadi (chilli pachadi) and eat it as a tasty combination with idli-dosa, upma, chapati, rice or pretty much anything, including bread. Though it is called chilli pachadi, it has an equal quantity of ginger and jaggery. What I like best about this pachadi is not just the varied tastes but also the textures due to the ingredients that go into it. In addition to these, the pachadi also has groundnuts and chana dal, which give it the bite. They taste just great after they are soaked in the spices for a day or two.

It can be made very quickly and doesn’t require any hard-to-find ingredients. Just make sure that the ginger and chillies are fresh.

Note:

The spiciness depends on the variety of green chillies. Choose the one which suits your spice level. I have used the small, dark green, spicy variety. The long, light green ones are less spicy.

Ingredients for Milagai Pachadi:

• Green chillies                           ½ cup (cut into small pieces)
• Ginger                                      ½ cup (chopped into small bits)
• Groundnuts                              ½ cup
• Jaggery                                    ½ cup (powdered)
• Chana dal                                1 tbsp
• Tamarind                                  1 small lemon sized ball soaked in hot water
• Mustard                                    ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder                      ½ tsp
• Hing                                          ½ tsp
• Til oil                                         3-4 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Remove the stems from the chillies, wash and dry them well with a kitchen towel. Cut into small bits.
• Peel, wash and cut ginger into small bits, the same size as the chillies.
• Extract thick tamarind pulp. Add water to make it 3/4 cup and keep aside.
• In a kadhai, heat the oil and add mustard to it. When it sputters, add groundnuts and chana dal. Roast them well till they turn brown.
• Now add the chilli and ginger to it and saute well on low flame. Don’t let them change colour.
• Add the hing and turmeric powder and after a few seconds, add the tamarind extract. Add required salt and cook on sim till the chillies and ginger are half cooked.
• Add the powdered jaggery and mix well.
• Check for salt and sweetness and adjust to taste and cook till they all combined well and the pachadi thickens to a sauce-like consistency.
• Remove from fire and cool. Milagai pachadi is ready to serve.

Note:

Store in a dry airtight container. It will stay good for 4-5 days outside the fridge. When refrigerated it will last up to 15 days, that is, if it doesn’t get consumed by then!