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Dalle chutney
डल्ले · Sikkim's fiery round-chilli and tomato achar
Dalle khursani is Sikkim's round, cherry-sized chilli, grown in every hill garden and among the hottest chillies in India. No meal in Gangtok goes without a little bowl of dalle achar beside the rice or momos. This fresh version pounds the chillies with blistered tomato, garlic, a pinch of timur (Sichuan-type pepper) and lemon into a coarse red chutney that is searingly hot, sharp and fruity. Eat it by the dot. Chef's tip: wear gloves when cutting dalle, and never touch your eyes; the heat stays on your hands for hours. Use a mix of habanero and bird's-eye chillies if you can't get dalle.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Char 2 medium tomatoes and 8 dalle chillies (or habanero/bird's-eye chillies) on a hot dry pan or directly over a flame for 4–5 minutes, turning, until the tomato skins blister and blacken in patches and the chillies soften. Peel the tomatoes roughly.
5 minStep 2: Pound 3 garlic cloves, ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp timur or Sichuan pepper in a mortar to a paste. Add the chillies (stems off; keep seeds for full heat) and pound until broken down. Common mistake: blending to a purée; dalle achar should be coarse.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes and pound lightly into a chunky sauce. Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp mustard oil and 2 tbsp fresh coriander if using.
Step 4: Serve a teaspoon at a time with rice, momos or sha phaley. Keeps 5 days in the fridge in a clean jar.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 30 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dalle chutney take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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