Peanut Yogurt Chutney – So Quick and Easy to Make

Peanut Yogurt Chutney – so quick and easy to make when you want a spicy, creamy and tasty condiment in a hurry. No cutting-chopping, roasting, frying, and…. Nope, you don’t even need a blender! How is that even possible?

Well, let’s just say that you are smart about keeping your pantry stocked with some very useful ingredients like crushed roasted peanuts (coarse powder), dried coconut powder, etc. And maybe it’s fair to assume that you might have some plain yogurt in the refrigerator. If you do, then you can certainly make this delectable condiment in under 5 minutes – no kidding! How? Well, you simply mix all the ingredients together and that’s it – your peanut yogurt chutney, at once creamy and chunky, is ready to serve!

Great all-purpose chutney / dip

What would you serve this delicious peanut chutney with? Oh, just about anything that you might want a spicy sauce/dip for… Let’s see, with Vada (Vud-aa), Pakoda (Puck-o-daa), Samosa (Sum-o-saa), Tempura or other savory fritters, this chutney sounds just about perfect.

But that’s not all – this chutney is also a great spread for bread. So…a quick Chutney sandwich… a nice and spicy change from the classic peanut butter & jelly sandwich.

What else? I often serve it with a variety of South-Indian items like Idli (‘Id-‘ as in bid: Id-lee, savory steamed cakes), Dosa (Doe-saa, savory crisp crepes), Utthappam (‘Ut’ as in ‘put’, ‘thap’ to rhyme with ‘cup’: Ut-thap-pum), etc. Sure, it is not a traditional South Indian chutney, but who really cares? It tastes so good, and you can make it so fast, it’s a no-brainer when you don’t have time to make one of the traditional chutneys that take longer.

Peanuts: Suitable for Upvas

Traditionally, Maharashtrians make this chutney on Upvas (religious fast) days, to serve with various savory Upvas foods. Many of these dishes are made with tapioca, (Sabudana – Saa-bu-daa-na), Barnyard millet (Vari , Bhagar,Samo, Moaraiyo, Barnyard millet, etc.), buckwheat,(Kuttu), etc.

Since tapioca, millet, etc. are carbohydrate-rich ingredients, they are typically “fortified” with protein in various ways. This peanut yogurt chutney is one such delicious way to make the Upvas foods more nutritionally balanced as well as tasty.

Several of these Upvas-suitable dishes are so beloved that many folks make them on non-Upvas days as well. Eyes light up all around when Sabudana Khichadi (Khich-a-dee), Vada (Vud-aa), or Thalipeeth (‘Th’ as in ‘thank’;Thaa-li-peeth, savory flatbread) is on the day’s menu. This simple peanut chutney is just perfect with all of these.

I have also posted another condiment traditionally served with Upvas food, along with this peanut chutney: Simple Lemon Pickle. Do check it out – that too is pretty easy to make, although you will have to wait a few days for the lemon rind to lose its bitterness. The “pickle-juice” is ready to consume almost right away.

Simple, street-style salted peanuts are also a great snack on any day, Upvas or not. If you love peanuts, maybe you would also like to try my Street-Style Peanuts, that you can make in the microwave in about 10 min flat!

Crushed roasted peanuts: Useful to have on hand

In the pantry of most Maharashtrian kitchens, you will likely find, in a good-sized jar, coarsely powdered roasted peanuts. Called “Daanyaachey Koot” (Daan-yaa-chay Koot – to rhyme with boot) in Marathi, Maharashtrians are rather fond of adding it to a wide array of dishes. It adds so much flavor, crunch and of course a bit of protein too: chutneys, dips, salads, Raitas, Usal, curried vegetables… and oh yes, you can even make desserts with it…. The list is just endless!

So… be smart! Always have this in stock in your pantry, ready to add to whatever you plan to make. I try to make a new batch of Daanyaachey Koot before the last one is finished. I hate it when I want some in a hurry and find that I’m out.

How to make Daanyaachey Koot – Crushed Roasted Peanuts

After coming to the US many years ago, I was thrilled to find unsalted roasted peanuts in the grocery store. I had never seen this in India and immediately realized how easy it would be to make Daanyaachey Koot. Just throw it in the blender, pulse chop, and Voila! All done! As a new grad student at the time, I knew I wouldn’t have much time to spend in the kitchen, so this was just great!

I typically make grind about 1 1/2 – 2 cups of roasted peanuts and store the Koot in a container with a well-fitting lid. I keep the container in an easy-to-reach spot in my pantry, so I can grab it easily whenever I need to use it. If you don’t use it a lot, you might want to make a smaller batch and store the crushed peanuts in the refrigerator/freezer.

Peanuts: Roasting and Winnowing

Growing up, I watched my Mom roast raw peanuts in a wok, constantly stirring to prevent burning, It would take several minutes before the peanuts gave off a wonderful aroma, described as “Khamang” in Marathi. I have yet to find a word in another language that completely captures the essence of what this word connotes. Just hearing the word conjures up delectable images in the mind, and quite possibly triggers the “I’m drooling” response!

After cooling, the papery skin peels off quite easily when you rub the roasted peanuts between your fingers. To separate the skins from the nuts, transfer the nuts to a large plate and toss carefully. When done properly, the light and fluffy skins “fly” and collect in one part of the plate, away from the nuts. It’s like magic!

While watching my Mom do this, I was always mesmerized by how incredibly efficient it was! I just had to learn how to do it myself. It was such fun…. and kind of messy too! A few flying red skins would sometimes even find their way into my hair!

This relatively simple technique, called “Paakhadney” (Paa-khud-nay) in Marathi, is essentially the process of winnowing, typically used to separate chaff from grain. Here, of course, the “chaff” is the peanut skin, while the “grain” is the peanut itself.

I have given detailed instructions, with pictures, of course, for doing this if you do not have peeled roasted peanuts on hand. It will take you about 30 min or so, with about 15 min of active hands-on time. After roasting, you need to set them aside, to cool to room temperature, for 10-15 min before rubbing the skins off.

I don’t like having to do all this when I want my Chutney fast. So I plan ahead… when my supply is getting low, I set aside some time to replenish my stock of Daanyaachey Koot. So, when the cravings hit, my Koot is ready and waiting.

Peanuts and Yogurt – a winning combination

The peanut and yogurt combination makes this chutney protein-rich as well pro-biotic. Its mild, creamy texture and flavor complements a wide variety of spicy, savory dishes rather nicely. The fat in the peanuts and yogurt also allows better absorption of various fat-soluble vitamins, not just in the chutney, but the accompanying dish as well. A winning combination, for sure!

So…perhaps you would like to try it with the Savory Butternut Pancakes or the Black Bean and Carrot Patties I shared several months ago. It sure hits the spot as you bite into each little piece smothered with this tasty chutney, and even better, it makes your meal even more nutritious!

I will be posting several other recipes that you can serve this versatile chutney with… so be on the lookout for them.

Special Diets

This peanut yogurt chutney is gluten-free and soy-free. To make it vegan, use a non-dairy yogurt of your choice. You can make a similar chutney with coarsely crushed pumpkin seeds, if you are unable to eat peanuts.

So… go ahead, make this easy Chutney and serve it up in a jiffy, however you please. One day as a dip for a fried snack, another time with Thalipeeth, and yet another…… well, simply smeared over a slice of fresh bread is great too! Yumm!

Do leave a review and star rating….. much appreciated!

Enjoy!