How to make Rajasthani lahsun ki chatni at home

Rajasthani lahsun ki chatni needs only four honest things: dried red chillies, fresh garlic, salt, and ghee. No refined oil, no colour, no preservatives. Here is how it is made at home the traditional way.

Ingredients

• 15 to 20 dried red chillies (Mathania or any Rajasthani red chilli)
• 1 whole head of garlic, peeled
• Salt, to taste
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of desi ghee
• Optional: a pinch of cumin, a squeeze of lemon

Step by step

1. Wipe the chillies clean and soak them in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes until soft. Drain.
2. Grind the soaked chillies with the garlic and salt into a coarse paste. A sil-batta keeps the texture best, but a mixer works if you keep it coarse.
3. Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the paste and roast on a low flame, stirring, until the raw smell goes and the ghee starts to separate. This takes 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Cool it fully, then pack into a clean, dry jar.

Tips that matter

• Roasting in ghee, not oil, is what gives the chutney its keeping quality and rounded heat.
• Keep the grind coarse. A smooth paste turns it into a sauce and loses the character.
• Adjust the chilli count for your heat level. It is meant to be eaten in small amounts.

If you would rather skip the grind, our ready-made Rajasthani Lal Mirch Chatni is made exactly this way, roasted in A2 Gir cow desi ghee.