Peanut chutney powder - Sanakkaya chutney podi

This is a signature dish of my mother in law. Spicy, sweet and sour at the same time. Can be served as a side dish with dosa, idli or added to any vegetable stir fry to boost the protein content. This is the seema style powder - so expect the heat. If you are from other regions - pls reduce the chilli quantity.

Ingredients:

1. Peanuts - 2 cups
2. Whole Red Chilli - 15 - depending on your preference for heat.
3. Tamarind - 3/4 cup. Remove the vein, the seeds and the hull from whole tamarind.
4. Jaggery - 1tbsp powdered
5. Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Add the peanuts, red chilli and tamarind to a kadai and start roasting  on low heat. I generally leave it on sim and keep mixing it every couple of minutes. 
2. Keep the roasting on until you get a nice aroma and the peanuts turn slightly black. The roasting should be slightly overdone rather than under. Also, do not get scared of roasting the red chilli and tamarind along with the peanuts. This is essential.
3. Cool the roasted mixture and grind with jaggery and salt. Cooling is very important to get the right texture. When grinding you are looking for grainy rather than powdery texture. For some reason the texture adds a difference to the taste.

Notes:

1. Do not substitute red chilli powder for the whole red chilli. When the red chilli is roasted and grinded it adds to the texture of the dish that is missed if powder is used.
2. Do not reduce the quantity of tamrind. When the powder is done, you should feel the tanginess first.