Garlic dry-roasted with red chillies and ground with minimal water into a pungent fiery chutney — the essential table condiment of Madhya Pradesh.
Ingredients
12 to 15 garlic cloves — unpeeled
4 dried red chillies
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp water
Method
Dry-roast unpeeled garlic cloves in a small pan on medium heat, turning every minute, until the skins are charred on all sides and the garlic is completely soft inside — 7 to 8 minutes.
In the same pan dry-roast the dried red chillies for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Cool briefly. Peel the charred skin from garlic — the soft caramelised garlic inside comes out easily.
Combine roasted garlic, roasted red chillies, cumin seeds, salt, lemon juice and water in a blender or mortar.
Blend or pound to a coarse paste — some texture is ideal.
Taste — should be deeply pungent, smoky from the roasting, spicy from the chilli and sharp from lemon.
Serve alongside dal baati, poha, kachori or any Madhya Pradesh preparation.