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Hmarcha rawt

Roasted green chilli relish

Hmarcha rawt: Mizo roasted green chilli pounded with onion, ginger and salt

No Mizo table in Aizawl is complete without a small bowl of hmarcha rawt, the sharp relish that goes with plain rice, boiled vegetables and bai at almost every meal. Green chillies are charred over a flame or on a dry pan, then pounded with raw onion, ginger and salt. The mistake is to blend it smooth; it should be coarse and juicy, with bits of charred skin. Chef's tip: roast the chillies until blistered all over, not black, or the relish turns bitter.
Total time
13 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
6
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Ingredients

Serves6

For the relish

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What you'll need

Spices & pantry

Fresh ingredients (4)

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Method

0/3 done
  1. Step 1: Roast 12 green chillies in a dry pan over medium-high heat, turning, until blistered and soft all over.

    6 min
  2. Step 2: Pound ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp ginger in a mortar to a rough paste.

    1 min
  3. Step 3: Add the warm chillies and 1 small onion and pound to a coarse, juicy relish with visible flecks of skin. Add 1 tsp lemon juice if you like.

    3 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
15 kcal
Protein
1 g
Carbs
3 g
Fat
0 g
Fibre
1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does hmarcha rawt take?
About 13 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 8 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
6 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.
What can I use instead of small onion?
2 shallots per onion.

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