Kolhapuri Green Chilli Chutney or Maharashtra’s rustic green thecha is simple enough to make it to the farmer’s humble lunch box. A rudimentary crush of potent green chilli, coriander and garlic pounded in a mortar pestle, it goes well with Thalipeeth (multigrain flatbread) and Varan Bhaat (dal rice). Want to make desi garlic bread? Spread a wee bit on slices of baguette, drizzle olive oil and pop in the oven.
Provenance
The Thecha gets its name from the technique used to make it: pounding. Situated on the banks of river Panchganga, south west Maharashtra’s ancient city of Kolhapur is known for its legendary pahunchaar or hospitality and fiery cuisine. Kolhapuris use both, red and green chilli with equal fervour, and the Kolhapuri Thecha reflects their love for raw spice.
About The Seller
The Aazol Kolhapuri Green Chilli Chutney is based on a recipe that has been passed down through generations of women of a family hailing from Gargoti, Kolhapur. Hemalata Digambar Kamble moved to Mumbai in 1986 at the tender age of 10 and carried with her nothing but the memories of her idyllic home and the food cooked in her Aazol (maternal grandparents' home). Today, she sells homemade spices and chutneys with the support of her mother Anusaya Shaldigre, who taught her all the recipes she had in turn learnt from her mother. These two Kolhapuri women take two days every time to peel garlic, roast coconut, dry chilli, grind spices, and roast oil with hawk-like precision and a devotion that is rare, to craft the perfect specimen of their family’s and village’s culinary legacy.
