Garlic roasted over a flame then pounded with green chilli, coriander and ghee — the essential aromatic condiment of the Himachali hills.
Ingredients
12 to 15 garlic cloves — unpeeled
3 green chillies — roasted over flame
2 tbsp fresh coriander
1 tbsp ghee
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
Method
Roast the unpeeled garlic cloves directly over a gas flame using tongs, turning every minute, until the skins are charred on all sides and the garlic is completely soft inside — 8 to 10 minutes.
Roast green chillies directly over the flame until blistered.
Cool briefly. Peel the charred skin from the roasted garlic — the soft golden smoky garlic inside comes out easily. Peel the green chillies.
Pound the roasted garlic and roasted chillies in a mortar to a rough paste.
Add fresh coriander. Pound briefly.
Add ghee, salt and lemon juice. Mix.
Taste — should be intensely smoky, pungent, mildly spicy and fragrant.