Made using fresh green chili peppers and garlic, thecha is a Maharashtrian accompaniment that is served with bhakri. It is like a spicy chutney that perks up any meal.
If you are looking to make more Maharashtrian recipes, then try some of my favorites from the blog – Misal Pav, Bharli Vangi, Sabudana Thalipeeth, and Masale Bhat.
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About This Recipe
Thecha is a Maharashtrian accompaniment made using green chili peppers and garlic along with a few other spices. It is basically a coarsely pounded green chili chutney.
Made with just 4 ingredients, this one is extremely popular in Maharashtrian cuisine and is cooked in almost every household.
The first time I made thecha or as it is called hirvi mirchi thecha, I was totally hooked to it. The spiciness from the green chili peppers and the extra heat from garlic made it an instant favorite. Since that day, I often make it at home to serve as a side dish, as it just perks up my simple everyday meals.
Thecha is super easy to make and gets ready in under 15 minutes. Its spiciness depends on the chilies used to make it. The more spicy your chilies are, the spicier will be your thecha.
Ingredients
You will need just 4 ingredients, Green Chili Peppers, Salt, Cumin Seeds, and Garlic.
Some Maharashtrian houses add roasted crushed peanuts to it, which adds a beautiful crunch and also balances the heat a little.
How To Make Thecha
Wash 150 g (5 oz) green chili peppers with water and wipe them with a kitchen towel. Remove their stalk and set aside.
Keep a heavy bottom pan on high heat. You can also make it on a large iron tawa or skillet. Add the peppers to the pan and fry on high heat until they are blistered (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals.
Once blistered, remove the chilies on a plate.
Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to the same pan and heat over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds. Now add ¼ cup peeled whole garlic cloves and mix everything. Cook until garlic cloves are blistered (2-3 minutes).
Turn off the heat and transfer the cumin seeds and garlic on the plate along with chilies and let everything cool down for 5 minutes.
Add green chilies and garlic mixture to a large mortar and pestle and make a coarse paste. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can crush the ingredients in a food processor. Just make sure to keep it coarse and not pasty.
Add salt to taste to the mortar and pestle and continue to grind it.
Once everything comes together, it is ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on how spicy you want your thecha to be. If you like it to be less spicy, use a less spicy variety of chilies, but if you like it to be nice and spicy, you can opt for a spicy one.
Yes, if you like to make a variation, you can use fresh red chilies too. Use the same ingredients and process, just substitute green with red chilies.
It will last in the fridge for 5-6 days when stored in an airtight container. Take it out from the fridge a few minutes before you want to serve it.
Serving Suggestions
Serve hirvi mirch thecha along with Jowar Bhakri, Wheat Bhakri, or Rice Bhakri with some sliced kanda (onion) on the side. Zunka and Pithla are mostly served along with it in a thali. You can serve it as a side dish with your everyday meals.
Thecha is served as a spicy chutney, a little goes a long way. Serve just 1 teaspoon of it first. People can later take more servings if they wish to.
I really enjoy it with Dal Chawal along with some Batata Bhaji on the side too. You can also serve it on the side with some delicious Mutton Curry and Bhakri.
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Recipe Card
Thecha Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 ounce green chili peppers (150 g)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ cup whole peeled garlic cloves
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Wash green chili peppers with water, wipe them with a paper towel and remove their stalks.
- Keep a heavy bottom pan on high heat.
- Add green chilies to the pan and fry on high heat until they are blistered (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals.
- Remove the blistered chilies on a plate.
- Add vegetable oil to the same pan and heat it on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds. Now add peeled whole garlic cloves and cook until garlic cloves are blistered (2-3 minutes).
- Switch off the heat and take out the cumin seeds and garlic on the plate along with chilies and let everything cool down for 5 minutes.
- Add green chilies and garlic mixture to a large mortar and pestle and make a coarse paste. You can also crush the ingredients in a food processor.
- Add salt to taste to the mortar and pestle and continue to grind it.
- Once everything comes together, it is ready to serve.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!