Thecha (kharda) ..Maharashtrian spread with chillies.
There should not be a single chilli lover who have not heard of ‘Thecha’…..a Maharashtrian spicy chilli condiment prepared with green chillies and garlic. While it is a necessity in some rural parts , in modern world, it’s providing the much needed ‘zing’ or ‘spicy’ element in daily meals.
When I say necessity, I’ve seen farmers carrying just thecha along with some bhakari (millet flatbread) and some oil on top as their everyday lunch on the go. And interesting thing is these people are the most hardworking to my knowledge , doing strenuous work 8am-5pm . So for them, thecha is the hero and integral part of their meal. But for people who are blessed with roti curry, dal & rice , it’s still a hero tastemaker.
Variations:
Thecha is even found in Rajasthan, karnataka, M.P. as well.Thus there are different variations according to regional produce. Some recipes call for red chillies, some like peanuts, some make it with sesame seeds whereas some add coconut to it. Recipe I use is how it is commonly made across Maharashtra with green chillies , garlic & peanuts..—thats more local to us.
Ideal method to make it:
Best thecha is made in stone mortar & pestle. The slow and steady grinding in mortar makes the flavours of chillies and garlic amalgamate into each other very well. Though it is not possible for us to make it with mortar , we can even use the blender. We have to take care not to make it into fine paste. Thecha should be coarse.So while using blender, use the ‘pulse’ mode and keep checking for the perfect texture.
Storage:
Ideally the thecha is made by roasting chillies and garlic. Hence its stays well upto 10-12 days in an airtight jar. I usually store in two batches..first half goes in a jar and to dinner table whereas other half goes to refrigerator for later use.
My experimental method:
I had oil left from deep frying some papad. As i was tidying up, I remembered hubby asked for thecha in the morning. As it was end of the day, i was reluctant to make another vessel dirty and add to more washing up. I thought why not use the oil and deep fry chillies. (of course i slit them to avoid any oil splutter ).I deep fried chillies , garlic and sprigs of coriander and added rest of the ingredients . Thecha tasted the same and to my surprise it lasted more than 20 days.(not just because of trick of ‘deep frying’ but also as hubby was fasting for Navratri 🙂
How/Where to use thecha?
As i explained earlier thecha is usually eaten with bhakari and oil, but one can have it with dal rice, as a condiment in your thali, spread on a toast along with butter, mix it with yogurt in raita for the heat, I even use it to spread on wraps, sandwiches, mix in yogurt or mayo to use as dressing for salad, for spice in the guacamole….endless options!!
Below, I’m explaining the traditional way thecha is made:
- In little oil, add washed and dried chillies with garlic pods.
Steps to make:
2. Saute and add coriander, cumin.
3.Roast well and snip chillies with scissors.
4. Add oil and salt.
5. Use mortar pestle or Blender (pulse mode) to make coarse mixture.
: Recipe Card :
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 1 cup green chillies (medium spicy) around 15 chillies
- 1/2 cup garlic pods (around 15-20 medium )
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts (optional)
- 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp oil (preferably raw peanut oil or extra virgin olive oil)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp salt (I use sea salt)
- 4-5 sprigs of coriander
Ingredients
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- Take stems off the chillies, wash them and pat dry till no trace of water is left. Wash coriander and dry it as well. (I like to do this step night before to make sure no water is left)
- Heat 1 tsp oil in pan. Add in chillies and garlic pods. Saute on low flame for 2-3 minutes till small blisters start coming on chillies.
- Add in cumin seeds and coriander. Saute well.
- With help of scissors, make pieces of chillies in the pan itself.
- When the chillies change colour from dark green to light greenish brown and garlic has roasted burn spots ,add in the roasted peanuts. Take it off the heat.
- Add chilli -garlic in mortar or small chutney jar of the blender. Add salt, oil and using pestle make it into coarse paste. If using blender, use 'pulse' option till you achieve coarse paste.
- Once it cools off completely, store in air tight container. You can even add little extra oil on top so it stays longer.
Good to know:
- you can choose to cut chillies before putting them into pan. But this way I've found that the chillies start spreading spicy smell everywhere in kitchen which could be very irritating.
- Take care while sautéing chillies as they might burst accidentally.
- For longer lasting thecha..read 'my experimental method' above.
- If you cant eat spicy thecha, use the non-spicy variety of chillies . e.g. long pointed green peppers like Cubanelle, Italian peppers, Ramiro peppers. Follow same procedure.
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